Gurnee school employee allegedly sold over $105K worth of school electronic equipment on eBay
GURNEE, Ill. - An employee at a Gurnee school has been charged after allegedly taking electronic equipment from the technology department of the school and selling it on eBay.
David May, 53, has been charged with theft, theft by deception, two counts of online sale of stolen property, electronic fencing and computer fraud.
Since November 2020, detectives in Gurnee have been investigating a report of stolen electronic equipment from the Technology Department at Woodland School District 50.
The district received calls from several people across the country who purchased the electronic equipment on eBay, authorities said.
David May
The devices were locked and displayed a message indicating the device belonged to Woodland School District 50, investigators said.
After comparing serial numbers from the eBay purchases with their inventory, the school district confirmed the equipment belonged to them.
During the investigation, May, an employee in the Technology Department, emerged as a suspect. The Lindenhurst resident had allegedly been taking electronic equipment from the school and selling it on eBay for personal profit.
May's role within the department allowed him to inventory equipment, manipulate documents and records and confiscate devices without detection, authorities said.
Records obtained from eBay for May’s account indicated several serial numbers from computers, cameras and other electronic devices that matched the missing inventory from the school.
According to investigators, May sold over $105,000 worth of electronic devices from the school district during his employment.
An arrest warrant was issued for May, and he was taken into custody on Thursday.
May was released on $5,000 bond and is expected to appear in court on June 7.