Employee Thefts

The Police Department has requested that the district attorney file criminal charges against four teachers with the Orange Unified School District for allegedly stealing shop tools and donated cars. The request, stemming from an investigation that began almost a year ago, involves three auto-shop teachers who allegedly failed to properly notify school authorities about vehicles donated to the district. Investigators are also checking into what became of the donated cars.

Every once in a while, actress Sharon Stone would ask her housekeeper, Coco, where a pair of J.P. Tod shoes, a Luis Vuitton handbag or a Vera Wang evening gown might be. "The housekeeper would say, 'You gave that to your sister,' or, 'Oh, that's at the cleaners,' " said Deputy Dist. Atty. Wendy E. Segall.

Growing up in the peach orchards of the San Joaquin Valley, Jim Slate was a bit too innocent and coddled for his cousin Larry's taste. Larry, six months older and wiser to the world, did what he could to educate him. It was Larry who introduced Jim to his first fistfight, his first beer and his first romance. They played side by side in Pony League: Larry a catcher, all guts and tattered uniform, and Jim a meticulous outfielder with a line-drive swing.

His voice was tight with fear. "I haven't slept much in the last couple of days," Tom Monfils told a police officer in a taped phone call. "This is not a nice guy. He's a biker type. . . . If he gets hold of this [tape of an earlier call], I might not come home some night." His prediction proved to be chillingly accurate. The week before, Monfils, a 35-year-old paper mill worker, had phoned an anonymous tip to police about thefts by a co-worker.

A U.S. Border Patrol agent charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death last month of a Mexican man near Nogales, Ariz., was previously accused of stealing cocaine seized as evidence in a major drug bust, according to documents filed this week in U.S. District Court in Tucson.

A former executive at the City of Hope and his wife have been arrested on charges that they stole more than $1 million from the hospital through a fraudulent auction of hospital properties. Joseph Rohn, 40, and Julia Eleanor Castlen, 39, were arrested Tuesday in Los Angeles and San Diego respectively on charges of conspiracy, grand theft and money laundering. Rohn is also charged with two counts of fraudulently altering or falsifying corporate papers by a corporate agent.

Cameron Diaz rushed through a Los Angeles International Airport security checkpoint on her way to Hawaii but left her purse behind. Thieves descended on the actress' bag, split the $7,600 in cash, ripped up her passport and tossed the remains into a nearby grocery store Dumpster. They hadn't just violated airport security. They were airport security--a "screener"--someone who stands watch as travelers put their items on the X-ray conveyor belt--and two supervisors.

The nurse who alleged that billionaire heiress Doris Duke was murdered with overdoses of morphine was charged Wednesday with stealing jewelry and artworks from six wealthy patients--including Duke and cosmetics magnate Max Factor.

The Los Angeles County district attorney's office Friday filed grand theft charges against two former sheriff's deputies accused of stealing more than $10,000 in cash and jewelry during a 1989 narcotics raid. Steven B. Gibbs, 43, and Roger R. Garcia, 46, were charged with taking the money and valuables while searching a storage locker in Inglewood. Gibbs is also charged with lying in an affidavit used to obtain the search warrant.

Phar-Mor Inc., which charged earlier this month that two former officers masterminded a $350-million fraud and embezzlement scheme, filed for bankruptcy court protection from its creditors and sued its accounting firm Monday. Court clerks said Phar-Mor filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code late Monday afternoon. The chain of 305 discount drug stores announced Aug.