In their search for some $5,000 that turned up missing from city beach coffers July 4 weekend, Gloucester investigators have now asked TD Bank for a set of surveillance tapes while they await the results of the bank's own internal probe.
The investigation, which started after "discrepancies" were uncovered in the city's beach parking receipts, has been moving slowly, Gloucester Treasurer Jeffrey Towne said Tuesday before a scheduled meeting with TD Bank officials on the matter.
"The bank is cooperating," Towne told the Times. "These investigations take a while. We should know in a couple of weeks."
Gloucester officials and detectives first suspected city employees had either lost or taken the money, but after a few interrogations, turned their attention to the bank.
Three weeks ago, Towne and Gloucester detectives coordinated and verified what was described as a "controlled deposit" at the bank to see if the amount they confirmed as deposited in a drop box would match the amount reported and confirmed by the bank in their account.
"We know what we put in the bank — and it was not in the bank records," Towne said of the controlled deposit, which some called a "sting."
After that, the city requested the surveillance tape covering the day of the controlled deposit.
Although he would not discuss what was shown on that first tape, Towne said Tuesday that it had convinced the city that it needed to see more footage.
Since the beach investigation began, there has been no indication of what, if anything, has come from TD Bank's own probe of the missing money.
On Tuesday, Jennifer Morneau, a spokeswoman for TD Bank's corporate office, declined to comment on the missing Gloucester money, except to say that the bank's internal investigation continues and "we are cooperating with the police."
On the question of whether too much of the investigation was being turned over to the bank itself, Towne said police could and would get the information they needed on their own, but preferred to work with the bank.
While the search for a culprit might not be moving rapidly, Towne said the good news is that, since the city announced that it was investigating the issue, the discrepancies within the beach accounts have disappeared.
"There has been no loss since July 4 weekend," he said.
Towne could not be reached late Tuesday to report on the bank's response to his request for more surveillance tapes.
The sweltering Fourth of July weekend packed both Wingaersheek and Good Harbor parking lots, which for some stretches were restricted to residents only. Such busy beach days are known to pull in as much as $17,000 in beach parking fees.
Patrick Anderson can be reached at 978-283-7000, x3455, or panderson@gloucestertimes.com.
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