By Norman Miller
The Patriot Ledger
June 10, 2010
http://www.patriotledger.com/news/cops_and_courts/x1332189293/Braintree-woman-accused-of-stealing-from-church-released-without-bail
 |
| Marjory O'Day, an employee at St. Zepherin's Church in Wayland, is arraigned at Framinghan District Court for allegedly stealing from the church. Photo by Allan Jung |
FRAMINGHAM — A Braintree woman accused of stealing cash from the Wayland church where she worked was caught in the act by a hidden camera, police said.
Marjory O’Day, religious education coordinator at St. Zepherin in Wayland, and John A. Inferrere, a church janitor who was also charged, were also tripped up by investigators who planted marked money in the church safe, police said.
O’Day, 58, of 289 Middle St., Braintree, was released without bail after she pleaded innocent Tuesday in Framingham District Court to charges of breaking and entering into a depository and larceny from a building.
O’Day is also director of religious education for Sacred Heart parish in North Quincy. She was put on unpaid leave from that job after her arrest Monday, said Terrence Donilon, a spokesman for the Boston archdiocese.
Donilon said Tuesday that the thefts “at this point, appear to be isolated” to the Wayland parish and do not involve the Quincy church.
Inferrere, 62, of 261 Main St., Wayland, also pleaded innocent to the same charges.
Donilon said O’Day and Inferrere passed required criminal records checks within the past year.
“Both returns read: ‘No record found,’” Donilon said.
According to a police report filed in Framingham District Court by Wayland Detective Sgt. Jamie Berger, he and Detective Christopher Coen met with several church representatives and an investigator hired by the archdiocese.
The investigator installed a small camera near the safe where the money from weekly collections is kept.
Berger said O’Day removed a money bag from the safe May 9 and took it out of camera view. She returned it and looked at some money envelopes. On the video, she is seen looking through the safe several times that day, he said.
On May 23 she is again seen on video opening the safe and taking out two money bags, police said. After returning the bags to the safe, “it appears that O’Day is counting money in her purse,” Berger wrote.
In other parts of the video, Berger wrote, Inferrere opened the safe, removed cash from a money bag and put it in his pocket. He took money several times, the detective wrote.
Police placed $373 in marked bills in the safe. They also put in $175 that was collected at Sunday’s 8:30 a.m. Mass.
That day, O’Day was caught on video going into the safe, taking out money bags and returning them minutes later, police said. After O’Day left, the investigator found $365 missing from the two bags, Berger said.
On Monday, Inferrere was caught on video taking money from the safe, police said. When police checked the bag after he left, $116 allegedly was missing.
Police questioned Inferrere at the church Monday at 11:15 a.m. He admitted he had been stealing about $200 a week since February, police said.
Inferrere said he stole the money to help pay bills because his wife lost her job in October, police said. He said he found the combination to the safe years ago on a desk.
When police arrested him, Inferrere had $1,200 in hundred-dollar bills, plus the marked bills, Berger said.
At about 1:45 p.m. Sunday, Berger questioned O’Day when she arrived at the church.
She denied any wrongdoing, police said.
“O’Day stated that she routinely went into the safe at St. Zepherin’s Church and routinely moved the money bags around,” said Berger. “She stated that she had never taken money out of the bags.” She said she sometimes put money into the bags.
Told that police had video of her taking the money, O’Day maintained her innocence.
When they searched O’Day, police found some of the marked bills.
“O’Day stated that the money in her purse she received for rent for her store in Nantucket,” said Berger. “She also stated that she had made change with the money in the St. Zepherin’s safe.”
Both are due back in court July 27.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.