Ex-public works inspector admits stealing $460K in quarters over two years

New Jersey's Thomas Rica, 43, pleaded guilty today to four counts of theft

He stole more than 1.8 million quarters from the parking meter collection room in Ridgewood Village Hall, New Jersey



He was sacked in January 2013 for taking $500 in coins

Investigators later discovered much more was missing

A former public works inspector has admitted stealing $460,000 in parking meter quarters over more than two years.

Thomas Rica, 43, pocketed more than 1.8 million coins from the collection room in Ridgewood Village Hall, New Jersey over 25 months.



The Hawthorne resident was sacked from the Village of Ridgewood in January last year after being arrested for taking $500 in coins.



However, a year-long investigation by Bergen County authorities revealed the father-of-three had swiped a much larger chunk of change.



Guilty: Ex-Ridgewood public works inspector Thomas Rica (left) has admitted to stealing $460K in quarters over 25 months

Apprehended: Thomas Rica (right) was arrested on Tuesday night on charges of fourth-degree theft and hindering apprehension

Rica was arrested on Tuesday night and charged with fourth-degree theft and hindering apprehension.

Rica accepted a plea deal in Bergen County Superior Court Wednesday to repay the money to the Village of Ridgewood after pleading guilty to four counts of theft.



Although he will avoid jail time, Rica must pay the village $200,000 in restitution comprising an initial lump sum payment, followed by $2,000 monthly payments over the course of his five-year probation, NorthJersey.com reported.



Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office has also dictated that Rica can never work for another municipality.

Court appearance: Thomas Rica (pictured left with his attorney) appeared before Superior Court Judge John Conte Wednesday morning in Hackensack to accept a plea deal

Patch reported in January 2013 that authorities began investigating Rica after an employee noticed coins were missing from the room.



'The investigation revealed that the room had been entered numerous times by an employee that was not authorized to be in the room,' a police officer told Patch.



Authorities said Rica, who ha d worked at Rid gewood since 2004, frequently went into the parking meter collection room and filled his pockets with change, before depositing the stolen coins in his bank account.

Scene: Thomas Rica admitted to stealing more than 1.8 million quarters from the parking meter collection room in Ridgewood Village Hall (pictured)





































