BERKELEY - What do you do when police discover you've stolen thousands of dollars from the youth baseball team you manage? Police believe one Manchester man robbed a Berkeley bank to pay back the debt, all while using a state-owned vehicle.

Michael Walters, 52, of Manchester is facing a robbery charge from Berkeley and theft and bad check charges from Manchester after his arrest Thursday, according to police in both townships.

Walters, an employee for the state Division of Child Protection & Permanency, was manager and treasurer for a 10-and-under travel baseball team in Manchester, according to a prepared statement from Manchester police Capt. Todd Malland.

On Wednesday coaches and team representatives told police they believed Walters "was misappropriating the monies that the players had raised from fundraising activities," Malland said.

"The money was to be used to purchase equipment, pay entry fees for tournaments and fund other team related expenses," Malland said. "The information about the theft came to their attention after learning that Walters was unable to make payment to a winner of one of the team's fundraisers."

Manchester police Patrolman March Micciulla and Detective Richard Jupinka investigated. Walters would face charges of theft over $6,500 and issuing a bad check over $500 — but he would not be arrested until Thursday.

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And it was on Thursday that Berkeley police say he held up a Santander Bank in the Jamaica Boulevard shopping center, wearing a mask and dark clothing and making off with "an undisclosed amount of cash," according to a statement on their Facebook page. "No weapon was shown and no injuries were reported," according to the statement.

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Berkeley patrol officers and detectives secured the area and obtained surveillance footage from nearby homes, spotting the car Walters allegedly used — a Division of Child Protection and Permanency car — "parked a distance away from the mall in an attempt by the suspect to thwart detection," according to their statement.

Manchester police, aware of the Berkeley bank robbery, got in touch with detectives in Berkeley to let them know that Walters had come to Manchester police headquarters to tell them he had made good on his debt to the baseball organization having "come into a large amount of cash," according to Berkeley police's Facebook post.

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Manchester police "thought it unusual that this large amount of cash and the bank robbery occurred about the same time in the same general area," the post from Berkeley read.

In an email to the Asbury Park Press, Malland confirmed that Walters is believed to have used the robbery proceeds to repay the league.

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Berkeley police matched the state car to the car Walters had driven to the police department in Manchester, Berkeley police said. The car was impounded until police could get a search warrant and, when they did, they discovered "items used in the robbery and directly connected to Walters," as well as cash from the bank, according to Berkeley police's statement.

Walters was sent to the Ocean County Jail in Toms River pending a court appearance, police said. He was remained there Friday morning.

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New Jersey Department of Children and Families Commissioner Christine Beyer said Walters has been suspended from his job, which falls under the department's authority, pending the outcome of the investigation.

“DCF staff are held to a high standard of personal and professional behavior and values. The allegations against Mr. Walters are very serious, but thankfully, very rare among our staff of 6,600 honest and hard-working employees," she said in a prepared statement.

The investigation into Walters is still ongoing, police said. Manchester police asked anyone with information to call Jupinka at 732-657-2009, ext. 4206 or to submit an anonymous tip online.

Berkeley police reminded residents they can call in anonymous tips to 732-341-1132, ext. 611.

Berkeley police acknowledged lead investigator Detective Michael Tier as well as Detective Lt. Peter La Rocca; Detectives Joseph Santoro, Michael Riccardelli, William Somers, Michael O'Connor and Shawn Bowens; first officers on scene Nicholas Bondulich and Joshua Foca; and patrol lieutenants Ryan Roth, Philip Smith, Michael Roth and Brian Woermer. The Ocean County Sheriff's Office and police from Toms River also assisted, Berkeley police said.

Alex N. Gecan: @GeeksterTweets; 732-643-4043; agecan@gannettnj.com