Pennsylvania Scout Leader Charged - A Montgomery County scout leader has been arrested for stealing more than $10,000 from her Boys and Girls Scout pack.
Pennsylvania police arrested 30-year-old Heather Belford on Wednesday for stealing from her cub scouts aged between 7 to 10 years of age.
As Committee Chair for the Cub Scout Pack and Leader of the Girls Scout troop, Belford was supposed to be teaching the children about the values of honor and respect.
However, she had been stealing their hard earned money with the groups' bank card, making over 50 unauthorized transactions in 2014.
According to reports, Heather Belford had emptied the Cub Scout Pack 27 bank account, including that of the Girl Scout Troop 7343 and the Girl Scout of America of Eastern Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania scout leader is accused of stealing $3,411.28 from the Cub Scout Pack 27 and about $7,318.88 from the Girl Scout.
"In the end we found that the Cub Scout had lost over $3,000 and the Girls Scout had lost over $7,000," Det. Sgt. Ray Bechtel said of the theft.
The Pennsylvania scout leader charged is said to have been pocketing that monies that the 18 members of Pack 27 had worked for a whole year to gather. The children reportedly sold popcorn and spirit cups to raise the money.
"We sold lots of popcorn, we sold some spirit cups," Sylan Callahan, a Cub Scout said.
"My son said it best that it was very said to know that they worked very hard for all this and to have it, in a matter of days, taken away from them," Cub Master Callaghan said.
Reports indicate that Heather Belford has since returned 35 pinewood derby car kits, which were in her custody after her arrest became public.
"I don't know what she was gonna do with 35 cars when she already stole all the money to buy makeup. It just makes me so mad," said Marcie Callaghan, Tiger Leader.
Heather Belford, the Pennsylvania scout leader, has been charged with several counts of theft, including felony theft, theft by deception, receiving stolen property and access device fraud. She was reportedly released on $5,000 unsecured bail.
Heather Belford's hearing is scheduled for next month.
Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman says Belford's theft has depleted the scout groups' funding. She is calling on people to support the youth program by donating.
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