CHARGED: Salem woman accused of stealing nearly $150K from her employer from 2007-2014

RACINE COUNTY (WITI) -- A 39-year-old Salem woman is charged -- accused of stealing nearly $150,000 from her employer -- Ace Stamping & Machine Company on S. Memorial Drive in Racine.

Tiffany Cain faces seven counts of felony theft of movable property, greater than $10,000.

A criminal complaint says in June of 2014, police were dispatched to Ace Stamping & Machine Company, where they spoke with Ronald Haarsma. He told police Cain had worked for him and his company for approximately 15 years, saying she was a trusted employee and friend. Haarsma told police he had asked her to become his assistant in managing his personal finances. When bills would come in the mail, Cain could access Haarsma's personal checking account to pay his bills.

In June of 2014, Haarsma told police a large amount of money had been taken from him through an unauthorized checks written to Cain or her husband beginning in 2007 and ending in 2014. Haarsma said he had given Cain permission to write checks to herself on just one occasion -- when she had gone to Las Vegas. When he did loan her money, Haarsma told police there had been a formal written agreement, according to the complaint.

Police spoke with Ace Stamping & Machine Company's accountant, who said Cain would advise her of the total amount of money needed for Haarsma's monthly bills. Then, the accountant would take that money out of Ace Stamping dividends and put it into Haarsma's checking account. The complaint indicates it is believed Cain tried to cover her illegal activities by providing an amount higher than what was needed to the accountant. Cain would then take the excess money via a personal check written to herself from Haarsma's account, according to the complaint.

The complaint indicates in May of 2013, Haarsma told police he gave Cain permission to write a check to herself for $250 because she was going to Vegas. There was an overdraft on Haarsma's account, and Cain was out of town when the bank called about that overdraft. The call was forwarded to the accountant, and that's when Haarsma learned Cain had written a check to herself in the amount of $2,500.

Cain said it was a mistake, according to police, and she promised to pay Haarsma back.

After that happened, Haarsma locked up all of his checks. When a bill needed to be paid, Cain had to get the checks from the accountant, and she would have to wait to have them stamped with Haarsma's signature.

Haarsma noticed a check missing from the checkbook in January 2014. Bank records showed the check was written out to Tiffany Cain for $1,750. Cain admitted to taking the check and cashing it, according to the complaint. Cain was then no longer allowed to access Haarsma's personal checks.

In June 2014, Haarsma and the accountant were looking over credit card statements and they noticed there were numerous charges at a gas station which neither he nor anyone else frequented. Haarsma confronted Cain about the charges and Cain admitted to using the credit card to put gas in her tank. That's when Cain was terminated from Ace Stamping and police were contacted, according to the complaint.

Cain will be in court on February 25th for her preliminary hearing.