Published on Saturday, December 9, 2006
in the Leesburg Daily Commercial

Toll booth worker charged with theft

LEESBURG - A Leesburg toll collector was charged with grand theft Thursday after video surveillance and a paper trail linked her to more than $3,000 in missing funds.

According to the arrest report, Joy Haniff. 47, of Mascotte started stealing about Nov. 17 and continued until she was caught Thursday. Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Jorge Delahoz this is not common among toll collectors, but it does happen occasionally.

"It's easy to catch," Delahoz said. "There's enough checks and balances, they can tell right away that money is missing."

Haniff at first denied the allegations, then said she had taken around $1,600. She also said the day she was caught was the first time, but later changed her story to say she had taken money a few times, according to the report.

According to the report, Haniff took the money directly from the cash drawer and put it in her pocket. She was found with $250 when she was arrested.

Delahoz said it is common for a cash drawer to come up $1 or $2 short, but not the amounts that Haniff's drawer was missing.

"It's really easy to verify," Delahoz said.

Haniff was released from the Lake County jail Friday on $2,000 bond.