Employee Steals Over $450,000 from Coinstar Machines

Here is an interesting story...

An employee of Coinstar, the popular grocery store coin counting machine that allows you to turn your change into cash (or the option of buying gift cards and phone cards), was recently arrested for having stolen over $450,000 from Coinstar machines throughout Washington State.

Michael Burns, 39, worked at one of the companies warehouses re-manufacturing machines and therefore had intimate knowledge of how to bypass the security features. Even though he was not an authorized field worker, that did not stop him from dawning a Coinstar uniform and visiting over 14 stores to pretend like he was servicing the machines.

Coinstar contacted police when they noticed $17,500 missing from one machine and the search led to Mr. Burns. When found, Burns had over $130,000 of cash, high priced electronics, a 2007 GMC Denali, a brand new 2008 Harley Davidson motorcycle, and more paper trails of other monies all in his home.

Burns is currently being held on charges of first degree theft.

Don't worry... he didn't steal any phone cards :)