× Thanks for reading! Log in to continue. Enjoy more articles by logging in or creating a free account. No credit card required. Log in Sign up {{featured_button_text}}

A U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs dentist from Lincoln has been indicted and charged with stealing more than $16,000 in precious metals from his office in Omaha last July.

Randall W. Toothaker, of 7200 Braumfield Circle, worked in dental prosthetics for the VA Medical Center in Omaha, Veterans Affairs Special Agent Chris Tauai wrote in an affidavit.

A lab technician at the VA’s dentistry office saw Toothaker, 57, open a locked cabinet and go into another employee’s work station about 8:15 a.m. on July 26, the affidavit says. That’s where office staff stored agency-owned precious metals, including gold, for dental use, the document says.

Toothaker left the building with a black and yellow bag and put it into his vehicle before returning to the office, Tauai wrote.

The person who controlled the $16,827 worth of precious metals discovered they were missing during an inventory check.

When VA police officers were interviewing witnesses, Toothaker left the office again and headed for his vehicle, the affidavit said.

An officer pulled him over before he left the property and found the bag on the front seat, Tauai wrote.