BRIEF: Judge: Thief owes Chelan Habitat $22,000

March 04--WENATCHEE -- A woman who pleaded guilty to stealing from Chelan's Habitat For Humanity store must repay the full $22,000 theft to the nonprofit shop and its insurer.

Maria Elena Luna, 40, of Manson admitted in September to stealing from Lake Chelan Valley Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store while she was an assistant manager, and was sentenced to 30 days to spent as combined jail time and electronic home monitoring. Chelan County Superior Court Judge Alicia Nakata set the $22,000 restitution amount in a hearing Wednesday.

Luna was arrested in November 2014, more than a year after the theft was discovered. In June 2013 the store's then-manager found voided receipts for $100 and $200 dollars in the garbage can next to the cash register. When confronted, Luna admitted stealing money over the previous eight months, and was fired.

About $5,600 of the restitution amount must be paid to Lake Chelan Habitat For Humanity, under Nakata's ruling. The remainder goes to the agency's insurer, ACE American Insurance Co.

Reach Jefferson Robbins at 509-664-7123 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @JRobbinsWW.

___

(c)2016 The Wenatchee World (Wenatchee, Wash.)

Visit The Wenatchee World (Wenatchee, Wash.) at www.wenatcheeworld.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.