A groundskeeper at Oak Hills Country Club Village faces a felony charge of online theft by deception after allegedly using the club’s commercial account to purchase $4,000 in e-gift cards without permission, according to the Palos Heights Police Department.
On Jan. 13, Oak Hills management reported the suspicious transactions, which led investigators to identify the email accounts used in the purchases. A search warrant revealed the accounts belonged to Christopher Mashburn, 44, of Sauk Village, who had recently been hired by Oak Hills as a groundskeeper.
Further evidence came from surveillance footage at the Bridgeview Menards store, where a female suspect was seen exiting Mashburn’s truck and using the e-gift cards to make purchases. Initially, Mashburn claimed he didn’t know the woman, telling investigators she was a stranger who had asked for a ride. However, police later confirmed the woman in the video was Mashburn’s wife.
Oak Hills management reportedly became aware of the fraudulent activity while reviewing financial records after a separate incident involving a check interception.
In an interview, Deputy Chief Michael Yott and Detective Sgt. John Parnitzke confirmed that after a Cook County State’s Attorney Felony Review Unit approved one felony count of online theft by deception, officers attempted to locate Mashburn but were unsuccessful, leading to an arrest warrant being issued.
“When he saw there was a warrant out for his arrest, that’s when he decided to come in,” Parnitzke said.
Mashburn was processed and released, with a court appearance scheduled for Feb. 18 at the Bridgeview Courthouse.
Yott and Parnitzke encouraged local businesses to monitor commercial accounts closely and limit mailing checks whenever possible to prevent interception and fraud.
“In today’s environment, it’s easy to fall victim to scams, whether it’s online purchases or something as simple as a mailed check being rerouted,” Parnitzke said. “Taking simple precautions can prevent big headaches.”
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