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Police: Brinks employee stole at least $30K from ATMs on the job

La Que Jefferson

MANGONIA PARK, Fla. — A Brinks Security “money messenger” stole more than $31,000 while delivering cash to ATMs, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said after arresting him this week.

La Que Jefferson, of Vero Beach, told investigators he spent the money on medical bills, credit card payments and items for his family — like a new TV and an Xbox game system, according to a police report made public Friday.

Jefferson was booked Thursday on a charge of grand theft greater than $20,000. He was released from the Palm Beach County Jail after posting $7,500 bond.

The sheriff’s office said Jefferson, 26, took the money from two SunTrust bank ATMS. As a “money messenger,” he delivered money bags from the Brinks Security office in Mangonia Park to ATMs and banks to replenish their cash.

Audits found money shortages to ATMs assigned to Jefferson of $1,900 on July 20, $11,800 on Aug. 3 and and $18,000 on Aug. 18. The amount of money missing totaled to $31,220, the report said. It did not specify the locations of the ATMs.

When confronted about the shortage by Brinks supervisors, Jefferson admitted that he “was sorry for his actions” and said he “used the money to pay for medical bills, to purchase things for family, and to pay credit cards,” the police report states.

A Brinks Security official offered not to report the incident to police if he was able to return the money in full. Jefferson said he could only give back some of it, because he spent most of it “and cannot get it back,” authorities said.

Jefferson was able to return around $10,560 in cash. Police then contacted Jefferson on Wednesday, and he agreed to surrender himself.

“He wishes he never took the money because of the situation that he has placed himself in at this time, and now (he has) lost a great job because of his mistake,” the report said.