Monroeville woman stole $21K from 7-Eleven at Turnpike plaza in Plum, police say

A Monroeville woman is accused of stealing nearly $21,000 from a 7-Eleven convenience store on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Plum.

State police charged Leigh Ann Wentzel, 49, on Wednesday with a single count of second-degree felony theft. There was an active warrant for her arrest on Thursday, according to Plum District Judge Michael J. Doyle’s office.

Wentzel’s attorney, Patrick J. Thomassey, said Friday that he expects his client to turn herself in next week.

“We’re going to try to work it out to see what we can do about the whole situation,” he said. “Repaying the money, whatever needs to be done, we’re going to try to do.”

According to a criminal complaint against Wentzel, 7-Eleven’s accounting department notified the store at the Oakmont service plaza on Feb. 14 that deposits were missing and being deposited late.

A store employee said deposits were being made 12 to 14 days late, the complaint states.

The employee said he met with Wentzel on Feb. 17 and that she admitted to taking money from the deposit bags, the complaint states. Documents showed that 11 bags were missing along with nearly $18,000 in cash deposits, and $3,000 in cash was missing from the the store’s change fund, the complaint states.

When interviewed by state police on Feb. 21, Wentzel gave a written statement saying she took the money because an old boyfriend threatened to hurt her mother if she didn’t give him $15,000, according to the complaint.

About two hours later, Wentzel called state police and said her statement was not true.

In a second written statement, Wentzel said she had come upon difficult times and feared losing her home, the complaint states. Because of her desperation, she took money from the bank deposit bags intending to replace it, but couldn’t pay it back fast enough.

Wentzel said she took full responsibility and will pay the money back, according to the complaint.