An employee at a Chevrolet dealership in Florida has been charged with grand theft

A Florida woman was arrested for grand theft following a Chevrolet investigation dealershippayment of work.

Ariel Ruttenbeck, 32, was taken into custody Wednesday for allegedly altering wages at Dimmitt Chevrolet in Clearwater, Fla., about 20 miles west of Tampa, according to an arrest affidavit from the Clearwater Police Department.

As one of two people with access to the payroll system, the police report alleges Ruttenbeck awarded herself $28,179 in unauthorized bonuses between May 2020 and July 2022.

According to the report, Dimmitt Chevrolet management provided payroll documents showing the violations and confirmed to police that the bonuses were not approved. The company told police that routine inspections were not performed “unless suspicious activity was observed, which is why it was not detected earlier,” the affidavit said.

The recent pay discrepancies were in larger numbers, “which caused concern and were more noticeable,” police said in a statement.

Police records show Ruttenbeck turned herself into a local jail and was released on $5,000 bail. She is charged with grand larceny in the second degree.

According to Clearwater police spokesman Rob Shaw, the investigation began with a complaint from a car dealership.

The dealership was cooperative and helpful throughout the investigation, Shaw said.

“We believe there was only one person involved and that was the person who was arrested,” Shaw said.