Woman Admits to Stealing $200,000 from Apt. Complex | News

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Police have arrested an Orange Park woman for stealing approximately $200,000 from an apartment complex and using it for gambling and other personal expenses.

Police say Sheryl Dawn Detrick, 36, admitted to the South Point Place Apartments owners that she took the money by setting up a phantom account. She said she had a gambling problem.

Mitchell Thal and Alan Greenstein, from South Florida, began investigating when another manager told them there were no contractors on the property.  The two men had wired $200,000 into the account for maintenance work.

Detrick never hired the work done, but told the two men it was in progress, the report indicates.

Detrick was a regional manager for SMG Property Management, hired by Thal and Greenstein to manage the property.

Police investigated the thefts and determined Detrick spent money on items such as furniture at Rooms To Go, electronics at HH Gregg, gymnastics lessons for her daughter, car payments, groceries, and a hotel at a casino.

The report states Detrick admitted to taking money orders for rent from tenants and depositing about $6,000 in the account, which she also used without permission.

She is in jail on charges of employee theft greater than $100,000.