Latest news with #PlymouthCommunityIntermediateSchool
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Yahoo
Mass. school employee stole food, supplies for his Cape Cod snack shack, authorities say
A Plymouth County public schools employee faces larceny charges after officials say he stole food and cafeteria equipment for several years for resale at his snack shack on Cape Cod. Patrick VanCott, 62, of Sandwich pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Plymouth District Court on Friday. His charges include larceny over $1,200 by a single scheme, larceny from a building and larceny under $1,200 by a single scheme. He was ordered held on a $50,000 cash bail and to stay away from all Plymouth school campuses and school storage facilities. He's been placed on administrative leave, according to officials. A superior court judge lowered his cash bail to $10,000 after his attorney petitioned for a bail review on Friday, court records show. He posted the bail and was ordered to wear a GPS monitor upon his release. 'People should be reminded that folks are innocent until proven guilty and we are going to vigorously defend this case,' Nate Amendola, an attorney for VanCott, said on Sunday. Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz's Office said public school officials contacted the police after they received an anonymous letter 'alleging criminal activity' at the Plymouth Community Intermediate School. 'The letter alleged that a person has been stealing commercial equipment and food products from the school,' officials said. The property is owned by the town and paid for with federal dollars, officials said. VanCott, the director of food services for Plymouth public schools, was identified as the suspect after a police investigation. He is the only person with the authority to place orders for the cafeteria, officials said. VanCott also runs a snack shack at Sandy Neck Beach in Barnstable, officials said. His orders consisted of premium Angus hamburgers, hot dogs, lobster meat, and other food products that were not served to students or school staff, officials said. Surveillance footage shows VanCott taking two commercial refrigerators from the school and onto his truck in April, officials said. Police reviewed cafeteria financial documents and compiled a list of items purchased by VanCott but not currently in the public schools' storage facility that totaled over $8,300 in goods, including: Refrigerated sandwich table: $1,700 2 frying pans: $96 Convection oven: $850 Undercounter freezer: $1,700 Microwave: $299 Bagel warmer: $294 Cuisinart coffee maker: $84 In June, police executed a search warrant at the snack shack and found an industrial-sized refrigerator and other kitchen equipment and 'government-issued' food. VanCott was taken into custody. His next court appearance is scheduled for July 21. National Guard troops arrive in Los Angeles on Trump's orders to quell immigration protests These beaches in Massachusetts are closed on Sunday, June 8 Swim portion of Springfield's Ironman 70.3 canceled due to Connecticut River pollution 10 cases of rare illness linked to Botox from Mass. spa, officials warn Mass. State Lottery winner: Cape Cod man wins $120,000 'Keno' prize Read the original article on MassLive.
Boston Globe
07-06-2025
- Boston Globe
Plymouth cafeteria director charged with ordering lobster, stealing kitchen equipment equipment, for use at his Cape Cod snack shack
His bail was set at $50,000. If he posts it, VanCott must stay away from all Plymouth schools and storage facilities if released, the statement said. He is due back in court July 21. VanCott has been employed as the food services director for Plymouth Public Schools since 2003, according to his Advertisement He was first flagged by authorities on May 30 after they received an anonymous tip that someone was stealing food and equipment from Plymouth Community Intermediate School. Since VanCott was the only person authorized to place cafeteria orders, he was quickly identified as the suspect, the statement said. A review of purchase records revealed premium Angus burgers, hot dogs, lobster, and other items that were never served students or staff, according to the statement—and all of which appear on the Snack Shack's Advertisement Investigators also spoke with cafeteria employees, who said that for years, once a week between Memorial Day and Labor Day, VanCott had them pack bags of deli turkey and ham marked with his initials, for no apparent school use. They also said that he routinely took condiments, snacks, paper goods, coffee and other supplies from the kitchen, according to the statement. Additionally, VanCott allegedly purchased more than $8,300 worth of kitchen equipment which was not found in the cafeteria or school storage, the statement said. This includes under-counter refrigerators and freezers, a refrigerated sandwich table, convection oven, microwave, bagel warmer, coffee maker and two fry pans. Surveillance footage from a Saturday allegedly shows him loading one of those under-counter refrigerators onto a town-owned truck and later returning in his personal pickup to transport a second unit. Additional video from the State Police Fusion Center then shows his pickup crossing the Sagamore Bridge with the stolen refrigerator secured in its bed, bound for Cape Cod, the statement said. The investigation is ongoing. Rita Chandler can be reached at
