Cranberry Township Police on Aug. 21 charged an Export woman with three counts of felony theft by unlawful taking and three counts of receiving stolen property for allegedly stealing $143,063.51 from her employer

Kristen L. Jakub, 32, was hired by State Pipe Services in August 2019 to handle the company’s accounting and finances. According to a police report, she was employed at SPS until she left in February 2022.

Records of the company credit card she was issued showed she was using it to make personal expenses such as plane tickets, hotel reservations, cellphone bills and veterinary bills. A total of 698 personal purchases were found between October 2019 and February 2022, which totaled $76,284.66. She also used $8,256.88 worth of company checks to purchase a new engine and tires for her own vehicle.

Jakub reportedly also used her position to increase both her hourly pay rate and her hours worked, artificially adding to her weekly paycheck and 401(k). Through these means, she took another $58,521.97.

Jakub was caught after State Pipe Services’ longtime owner, Scott Burns, passed away in March 2021. When his wife, Valorie, took over, she went over the company’s financial records and spotted some discrepancies, which led to their financial controller.

Jakub’s preliminary hearing is scheduled Sept. 27.