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	Guilford Church Organist Accused in Theft: North Haven Man Caught on Camera Taking Collection Cash By Susan Misur New Haven Register November 18, 2010 http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2010/11/18/news/shoreline/doc4ce4a98ff0494947509996.txt GUILFORD — A local church's former organist faces charges after he was caught on camera taking cash from collection bags in September and then admitting to stealing the money, according to court documents. After a two-month investigation, John Polletta, 56, of North Haven, turned himself in Nov. 8 and admitted to stealing $650 given to St. George Catholic Church, 33 Whitfield St., police said. Church members, however, told police they think Polletta has been stealing money since 2003. Polletta was charged with fifth-degree larceny, which covers thefts from $500 to $1,000, Deputy Police Chief Jeffrey Hutchinson said. Polletta is due in court this coming Tuesday and was released on a promise to appear. Maria Zone, communication director for the Archdiocese of Hartford, and police said Polletta is an educator in Beacon Falls. He was named Teacher of the Year in 2009, according to Region 16 school board meeting minutes, and he is listed on the district's website as a fifth-grade teacher at Laurel Ledge School. He has worked at the church for more than seven years, according to his arrest warrant affidavit, which was made available Wednesday. The Rev. James Shanley, the church's pastor, and Karen Jansen-Casey, the church's attorney, reported the alleged theft to police Sept. 10. Shanley said that since he took over as priest at the parish, he heard rumors about thefts from weekly Mass collection baskets. Church bulletins say about $15,000 is collected each weekend during Masses at the parish, which has about 3,800 member families. Parish members at first took things into their own hands after becoming suspicious of Polletta, Shanley told police. "(Shanley) was told that on numerous occasions, church employees had placed marked bills into the collection baskets, which were not in the baskets when the money was later counted," the warrant reads. The church also hired Advanced Investigations, an East Haven-based private investigation firm, to look into the possible thefts. After cameras with audio and video recording capabilities were placed in the church, two recordings caught Polletta entering a room where money bags were kept and taking money out of the bags, the warrant states. Shanley confronted Polletta about the alleged thefts, and in a recorded conversation, Polletta confessed to taking the money, according to the warrant. Polletta said he'd been taking money since June, the warrant says. Shanley and church accountant Susanne Smith later told police they suspected Polletta was stealing money as early as 2003, and at that time, the Rev. Lawrence Symolon was the church's pastor. "Smith said that she had placed marked bills into the collection baskets about six times per year, and each time the marked bills went missing," the warrant says. Smith also told police she had advised Symolon of the issue, and the archdiocese had given the church secure sealed and numbered bags to use, "but that strict policy was never followed," according to the warrant. Symolon brought Polletta to St. George Church from his previous parish in West Haven, according to the warrant. Smith told police she couldn't provide proof of previous thefts before this summer. Polletta admitted to police that he took $650, but denied to police that he took money anytime before this summer. A call to St. George Church was referred to Zone, since the church belongs to the Archdiocese of Hartford. "At this point, all I can say is St. George's reported suspicions to police about John's behavior, and now we're letting the police do their work," Zone said. According to Zone and church trustee Robert Hartmann, Polletta is no longer an employee of the church. Zone said she does not think Polletta is working at any other churches. Polletta could not be reached for comment. Call Susan Misur at 203-789-5742, smisur@nhregister.com.
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