Crime & Safety

Woman Charged with Stealing from Burnsville Apartment Complex

Yer Thao is accused of stealing cash payments while working as a leasing agent for the complex.

A Shakopee woman has been charged with stealing rent and deposit checks from the Burnsville apartment complex where she worked as a leasing agent.

Yer Thao, 34, is charged with one count of felony theft, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaint, employees of the Burnsville apartment complex called police on Oct. 4 to report that Thao had stolen payments made by residents.

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The employee told police that she had called two residents about unpaid rent for September, and was told by each person that they had paid their rent in cash to Thao and had received receipts. Those payments were for $715 and $825, according to the complaint.

The employee also told police that Thao had failed to document or deposit another cash payment of $500, which was intended as a deposit on an apartment.

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Thao was the only employee working in the complex’s office on the dates that the three cash payments were made, according to the complaint. The employee who reported the missing money to police said the information was not entered into computer records and the cash was not deposited into a locked drop safe, as required by company policy.

The employee also told police that the apartment complex’s copy of each of the three receipts had been removed from the receipt book, along with “numerous” other receipts that were missing.

On Oct. 5, Thao didn’t show up for an employee meeting, and didn’t report for her scheduled shift. An officer spoke with her by phone on Oct. 10, and Thao said she was dealing with “numerous personal issues,” including medical problems and a divorce, according to the complaint.

She denied stealing any money and noted that two other property managers had recently been fired from the complex, according to the complaint.

On Oct. 17, an officer met with Thao, who confirmed that it was her signature on the three receipts for the missing cash, and admitted writing the receipts. She continued to deny taking the money and said she couldn’t remember what she had done with it after accepting it.


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