Paul Peirce
Tribune-Review, Greensburg, Pa.
GREENSBURG, Pa. — A former Mutual Aid Ambulance supervisor is charged with theft after an audit indicated he acquired personal vehicle parts and tires for a himself and a relative last year that were purchased through the Greensburg-based service’s business account, according to court documents.
Ben Malesky, 56, of Cook Township also instructed other workers he supervised in the vehicle maintenance garage to save scrap metal that was taken to a local recycler for cash but he kept the money, Greensburg police Detective Charles Irvin alleges.
Malesky is charged with two counts of theft by unlawful taking and single counts of theft by failure to make required disposition of funds and theft of services.
According to court documents, an ambulance service audit “showed several discrepancies related to the ordering of parts and work performed on the personal vehicles of Malesky and some relatives.”
Irvin alleges that, from May through July last year, “Malesky took over vehicle parts, tires and labor valued at $4,247 belonging to Mutual Aid Ambulance” through the company’s business account.
Court records indicated there were 26 transactions with Mutual Aid auto parts and tire suppliers that benefited Malesky or relatives during the period.
In addition, Irvin alleges available records show Malesky had other employees in the garage take scrap metal to a local recycler but “kept the thresholds at an amount to receive cash instead of a check.”
In court documents, Irvin reported Malesky admitted in an interview with ambulance service officials that the money received from the scrap was never deposited into the ambulance service bank accounts. Police allege Malesky reaped $4,134 in the transactions.
Malesky, a supervisor since 2003, was fired in January after officials received the audit. Irvin alleges the thefts totaled $8,381.
Officials at Mutual Aid declined to comment Wednesday.
Attempts to reach Malesky for comment were unsuccessful, and he did not have an attorney listed in court documents.
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