Cellphone store employee charged with 11 counts of theft

Jasper — Jeffery V. Lawless, 30, of 4461 Obing Strasse, Jasper, turned himself in to authorities Monday evening.

He is charged with 11 counts of theft from the Cellular Connection Verizon Wireless store on Jasper’s north side.

According to a release from the Jasper Police Department, an investigation into the thefts was opened after the department received a complaint from the management of the store about 30 missing cellphones from the store inventory. The investigation involved 26 phones accounting for about $17,500 in losses for the store.

The thefts occurred between June and August of 2014. Police determined that Lawless manipulated invoices to show that phones were purchased by customers. Most of those invoices and customers were fabricated.

Lawless is charged with 11 counts of level 6 felony theft. He reported to the Dubois County Security Center on his own volition Monday at 9:30 p.m.