McKeesport man admits to stealing $5,370 from autistic co-worker
A McKeesport man is behind bars after state police said he stole $5,370 from a man who has autism while they worked together at a Hempfield car dealership.
Troopers on Tuesday arrested Scott Andrew Soles, 48, on three counts of theft and a single charge of criminal use of a communication facility, all felonies.
The parents of the man who has autism contacted authorities after seeing him with $150 in cash to take to work in July, which his mother said was unusual as the man doesn’t comprehend the value of money and never carries it.
Police reviewed text messages and learned Soles demanded cash numerous times between March and July, promising to introduce the man to new friends in return, according to court papers. The man told investigators he was never introduced to anyone new.
The payments totaled $5,370, police said. Soles admitted to the thefts, according to court papers.
He was taken to the Westmoreland County Prison Tuesday after failing to post $7,500 bail. Soles did not have an attorney listed in online court records. A preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 29.
Renatta Signorini is a TribLive reporter covering breaking news, crime, courts and Jeannette. She has been working at the Trib since 2005. She can be reached at rsignorini@triblive.com.
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