Newport Police say the robbery of a Newport convenience store last year was an inside job.
Angela Birk, 40, of Newport, who was an employee of the Jimmy Kwik store on Coventry Street, pleaded not guilty in Orleans Superior Court on Monday to felony charges of embezzlement, aiding in the commission of grand larceny and a misdemeanor charge of providing false information to a police officer.
Judge Thomas J. Devine set conditions of release and $25,000 bail.
Orleans Superior Court
Birk is accused of helping alleged robber, Eric Shatrau, 48, of North Troy, steal $4,000 from the store safe in September of 2021. Birk told police after the robbery was reported that she was taking out the trash when the alleged theft occurred.
But after a lengthy investigation, police said Shatrau was not the only one involved in the theft.
“Shatrau advised that he went in and grabbed the money bags and took off,” wrote Newport Police Ofc. James LeClair in his report. “Shatrau advised that Angela left it all there and that he didn’t even have to really open the safe, he just reached in and grabbed it. Shatrau advised that after leaving he went behind the old furniture building where he buried the bags in the leaves and took off … He advised that Angela retrieved the money and that he had not received any of it.”
Shatrau also told police that the robbery was Birk’s idea.
“She had told him that she owed money to out of town sources and that they had threatened to harm her daughters which Shatrau advised wasn’t the case,” wrote Ofc. LeClair.
Shatrau has also pleaded not guilty to charges related to the robbery.
Birk faces a possible sentence of up to 21 years in prison and $16,000 in fines.
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