A STUDENT was found responsible for the disappearance of $2,000 from a scholarship fund and art club at DuBois Area High School in Pennsylvania.
After Colton Barrett took the money from an unlocked safe, he later confessed to a shopping spree and let police in on other places where he’s committed crimes.
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Eighteen-year-old Colton Barrett said he “feel[s] a thrill to see what [he] can get away with,” according to a criminal complaint reported by local CBS affiliate WTAJ.
That’s how the money for a memorial scholarship and an art club landed in his hands after a safe in his high school was unlocked.
Barrett is currently facing charges for stealing over $2,055 from DuBois Area High School on March 28, reported WTAJ, with $906 of the money coming from the school’s art club and $1150 from the Ben Friedl Memorial Scholarship.
He told police in an interview that he was waiting for a ride following an after-school program when he discovered an unlocked back door leading to the main office.
The teenager admitted to stealing a large wad of bills wrapped up in rubber bands, according to WTAJ, and confessed to police that he spent a lot of the money on Xbox, Google Play, and prepaid Visa cards.
“I never counted how much I had, I just knew it was a lot and it would last me a long time living on my own, which is what I was planning on doing,” Barrett said in his account to the police.
Barrett also told law enforcement he shared part of the cash with friends and purchased 8 vapes, along with other related items.
He even tipped police off to thefts happening “for a while,” saying he steals from places like pools, supermarkets, and even family.
Barrett takes $5 or $10 during the school day from the principal’s desks, according to police, reported WTAJ.
His mother told law enforcement that her son has had trouble with stealing in the past.
She forked over $980 and packages from the Visa gift cards, according to the complaint, per WTAJ.
While Barrett claimed the money came from doing “work under the table,” his mother told police she didn’t believe him.
He was placed in Clearfield County Prison on burglary, theft, and criminal trespass charges.
Barrett’s bail is set at $15,000.
A formal arraignment will take place on April 24, reported WTAJ.
I feel a thrill to see what I can get away with,”
Colton Barrett
The U.S. Sun frequently reports on theft cases, especially those out of big box retailers and convenience stores.
Items were flying off the shelves of a crowded CVS recently in Navy Yard, DC.
A CVS worker in California claimed theft happens so often that staff are told to let thieves go due to safety concerns.
Target has limited shoppers to scanning 10 items or less, as of March 17, 2024.
Meanwhile, Walmart shoppers are rallying against anti-theft measures the store has implemented.
This includes everything from locking items on shelves behind plexiglass to receipt checks to installing security gates fitted with scanners.
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