Melissa Jenco, TribLocal reporter

A former Elgin Police Department employee is accused of stealing $1,500 from the department, authorities said Friday.

Sarai Villarreal, who worked as a community service officer, was arrested Friday morning and charged with official misconduct and felony theft. The 33-year-old, of the 300 block of Clifton Ave., is out on bond and resigned from her job with the department, police said.

Villarreal worked for the city for nine years and underwent a full background check before being hired. In her community service role she was not a sworn police officer but assisted in areas such as jail house operations, community information and animal control.

Last month, police say they began noticing “financial discrepancies” during a city audit and tied them to Villarreal.

“We have very tight internal audit controls, a number of checks and balances so any time one portion of process not completed we have opportunities to see that quickly and identify it,” Lt. Glenn Theriault said.

Villarreal took the money in three separate incidents – Aug. 7, 12 and 24 — while collecting administrative towing bonds, according to Theriault. Because of the audit procedures, he is confident the theft is limited to the month of August. No one else in the department is believed to have been involved.

Theriault said people paying their fees were not directly impacted. They were given proper paperwork and their cars were released.

Villarreal is due in court Sept. 16. If convicted, she faces up to seven years in prison on the theft charge and as many as five years on the official misconduct charge.

Villarreal immediately turned herself in to police Friday after a warrant was issued for her arrest.  She paid the required 10 percent of her $3,000 bond and was then released.

“This is a long-time employee who made a bad decision,” Elgin Police Chief Jeff Swoboda said in a news release. “This is an obvious breach of public trust and such actions will not be tolerated.”