Woman Stole $38,000 From Starbucks, Say Police In Racine

RACINE, WI — A manager at Starbucks has been arrested and charged after police say she stole about $38,000 from the popular coffee shop.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Racine County, Carlin Cook, 29, of Kenosha, was charged with felony theft from a business setting over $10,000. If she is convicted, she faces up to five years behind bars in addition to any fines she may incur.

According to the criminal complaint, Cook was a manager at the Starbucks at 2805 S. Green Bay Rd. near the Regency Mall. An employee at Starbucks saw that they were missing deposits from between March 2 and May 16 of 2017 that totaled about $38,000.

When she was asked about the missing deposits, Cook admitted to stealing the money, according to the criminal complaint. She told investigators that she owed almost $80,000 in student loans in addition to an outstanding credit card debt of $5,000. Cook told investigators that she did not believe that the amount taken was close to $38,000.

According to the criminal complaint, managers at Starbucks who were looking into the missing deposits, learned that Cook would falsify reasons for why the coffee shop's deposit was not on time. Upon further investigation, Cook was seen on the store's surveillance cameras taking possession of the deposit bag in one instance.

Cook is out on a $10,000 signature bond and has been ordered into court on Dec. 6 for a preliminary hearing.

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