Firefighter steals wallet from survivor of crash that killed 4, Missouri cops say
While recovering from a deadly crash that killed four people in February 2023, one of the survivors called police to say that his wallet had been missing since the crash, Missouri officials and news outlets reported.
An investigation found that a St. Louis firefighter had slipped the wallet, which contained nearly $700 in cash and $200 in gift cards, into his jacket after asking the victim to give it to him for his identification, KSDK reported.
Arnold Britt, a St. Louis firefighter, according to the department’s Facebook page, was indicted on two charges in October 2023 — receiving stolen property and fraudulent use of a credit/debit device, according to court records.
He pleaded guilty to both charges on July 15 without a plea agreement from the state, according to the St. Louis County prosecutor’s office.
Britt’s attorney did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment on July 16. The St. Louis Fire Department also did not immediately respond to McClatchy News.
Britt told police that he used the victim’s debit card by mistake, thinking it was his wife’s card, the victim told Fox 2. The firefighter told authorities he planned to notify them, the victim said.
Prosecutors recommended the firefighter serve six years in prison — five for receiving stolen property and one for using the stolen card, prosecutors said in an email to McClatchy News.
Britt’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 6.
This story was originally published July 16, 2024 at 10:18 AM with the headline "Firefighter steals wallet from survivor of crash that killed 4, Missouri cops say."
