Waiter voided checks at popular Keys restaurant in scheme to rip off boss, cops say

A Key Largo waiter was arrested on felony fraud and grand theft charges this week after Monroe County Sheriff’s Office detectives determined she stole almost $5,000 from her employer by manipulating customers’ checks, according to an arrest report.

Detectives say Emily Slayton Bullard, 28, stole the money from Snappers, a popular oceanfront restaurant and bar, from July 2017 to April of this year. Management fired Bullard in April after accusing her of the theft. Bullard, who denied taking the money, had worked at Snappers since 2014 in various roles, including assistant manager, according to Det. Ian Barnett’s report.

As of Tuesday, she was in county jail on Plantation Key. Her bond amount was not immediately available. Police arrested her this week on a warrant after investigating nine months of her transaction slips.

According to Barnett’s report, management at Snappers showed detectives a report showing Bullard had $600 in sales one night in May, yet earned $297 in tips. Most wait staff at the restaurant earn tips averaging between 15 and 18 percent of their sales. Bullard’s receipts from that night showed most of her tips were under 20 percent, according to Barnett’s report, not almost 50 percent.

Detectives say Bullard’s scheme involved voiding items from customers’ checks and classifying the voids on the computer as “kitchen error,” “food waste,” “testing” or “86’d”; the latter is wait staff parlance for canceled food and drinks.

“However, instead of lowering the customer’s bill for the voided item, the cost of the voided item was transferred to Bullard’s tip,” Barnett wrote. “To the customer looking at the bill, the total amount appeared to be accurate.”

She would then apply the voided amount to her tip, according to Barnett, or she would apply Snappers’ “Turtle Discount” for regulars, which is either 10 or 20 percent, and again, apply that amount to her tip.

“Bullard was ultimately stealing the money for the voided item from Snappers,” Barnett added.

This story was originally published October 23, 2018 at 4:48 PM.