Clerk stole customer's $2,500 lottery jackpot, N.Y. police say

Friday, September 29, 2006 posted 12:10 PM EDT

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. - A convenience store employee who told a customer her winning lottery ticket was worthless and then cashed it in for $2,500 was arrested Thursday, state police said.

Ann Candelario, the assistant manager of a 7-Eleven store, was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny and was issued a desk appearance ticket, State Police Investigator Gerald Meyer said.

He said that on Sept. 5 a female customer presented to Candelario several tickets for the Win 4 game, which involves picking four single-digit numbers. One of the tickets scanned by the lottery terminal revealed a $200 winner, he said, and the customer was given that payment.

The customer also had a $2,500 winning ticket but Candelario told her it was a loser, he said.

Candelario kept the ticket and went to the state lottery office in Garden City the following day and claimed the prize, state police said.

Because the customer played the same Win 4 numbers regularly and had a receipt for the ticket, a relative contacted state lottery officials and asked them to investigate. When they confirmed the customer was the legitimate owner of the winning $2,500 ticket, Candelario was arrested, Meyer said.

The store's owner, Wayne Shack, offered to reimburse the customer $2,500, state police said.

Candelario, 60, of West Babylon, was expected in First District Court in Central Islip on Nov. 28.

There was no telephone listing for an Ann Candelario in West Babylon. A telephone message left at the home of an A. Candelario was not immediately returned Thursday.

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