Sheriff: Former Cayuga County employee stole over $25k

Sheriff David Gould reports that the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Department has arrested a former employee of the Cayuga County Treasurer’s Office in connection with thefts which occurred in 2007 and 2012. Myriam Knapp Charged is: Miriam A. Knapp, age 69, of Cook Road in Venice Center, NY.(2) counts Grand Larceny, 3rd degree (felony)(1) count Falsifying Business Records, 1st degree (felony)Knapp was arrested and arraigned in Auburn City Court at 2:30pm Tuesday August 27th and was released on her own recognizance. In 2007 the Cayuga County Treasurer’s Office reported over $17,000.00 in cash payments from property tax collections stolen from within the office. The total was the sum of several individual payments that were missing. An investigation was conducted through September of 2008 however no leads pointing to any one suspect were developed. In 2012 the Treasurer’s Office reported more thefts, this time amounting to over $8,000.00 in property tax collections and also the sum of several individual amounts. Detectives were able to develop leads in the later investigation which eventually tied in to the previous investigation and subsequently lead to the arrest of Knapp. Knapp has been charged in connection with the thefts for both years. Due to the fact that this is an ongoing Felony investigation, further details cannot be released at this time. Anyone with further information about this investigation is asked to contact Lieutenant Joseph Weeks at (315) 253-3902. Anonymous tips may be left at cayugacrime.com.