Nichols Hills Police Department investigates Public Works employee for fraud

NICHOLS HILLS, Okla. (KFOR) - Police are investigating a now-former Nichols Hills Public Works employee who allegedly swindled a couple of residents out of hundreds of dollars. 

“We would launch an investigation regardless of who the individual that potentially committed the crime would be, but when it's one of our fellow city employees, we take it seriously,” said Steven Cox, the Nichols Hills Police Chief.

KFOR is not naming the accused employee because charges have not been officially filed. 

However, a Nichols Hills City spokesman confirmed the employee has since resigned. 

“The police department was made aware of some possible fraudulent activities and possible exploitation of elderly,” said Cox. “We opened up an investigation.” 

Court records say the former employee convinced a woman to let him “facilitate repairs” to her fence and charged her a total of $425 - $200 for supplies and an additional $225 for labor. 

However, according to court documents, it was discovered that the former employee paid someone else a total of $75 to fix the fence.

The documents also say investigators found out the supplies actually cost between $25-$30 and the approximate cost for labor was $50.  

“Make sure that you're, you know, getting somebody that's very trustworthy before you move forward," said Cox. “Get multiple quotes for the repair.” 

The documents go on to say that the former employee also allegedly asked the same victim for a $50 loan and asked another for $250. Neither loan has been paid back. 

This all happened while the former employee was “acting in his official capacity as a public works employee,” according to court records. 

Court records say the former employee told police he was only paid $200 to fix the fence and claimed that one of the loans was “offered” to him by the victim. He also said he paid another loan back. 

An investigator noted that the former employee’s “explanation of what occurred did not coincide with the information received from the victims,” per the court documents. 

"We are presenting charges to the district attorney's office," said Cox.

Those charges include financial exploitation of the elderly and home repair fraud. Cox said those charges will likely be approved within the next day or two.