West Milton O’Reilly’s employees facing charges for alleged roles in theft scheme 

WEST MILTON — Five employees at a West Milton O’Reilly Auto Parts arrested after a fraud investigation have been identified in what West Milton Police say is one of the most unique cases in more than 35 years in law enforcement.

>>PHOTOS: West Milton O’Reilly employees facing charges for alleged roles in theft scheme

Robert Conley, William Charles, Hayden Cummins and Chase Lange are each facing a felony forgery charge and misdemeanor charge, according to court records.

Johanthan Hittle is also facing a theft felony charge.

All five pled not guilty in court.

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 5 West Milton O’Reilly employees arrested; facing forgery, theft charges

News Center’s Xavier Hershovitz says the five employees are accused of committing more than $10,000 in fraud. He says the investigation is not over and also went to O’Reilly’s to see what they had to say about.

“It is a very unique case,” said Doyle Wright, Chief of West Milton Police. “In my 36 years, I’ve not run across something like this.”

Wright says his department got a call Tuesday from O’Reilly’s loss prevention team.

“We found the manager, assistant manager and three of the employees were actually involved in this scheme of a theft return of items.”

>>UPDATE: SWAT units searching for suspect after reports of shots fired at Harrison Twp. apartment

Hershovitz reports the scheme involved a local business man returning parts he said were faulty and under warranty, according to officers.

The five employees have all been arrested and facing forgery and theft charges.

“Some of the parts were never bought at O’Reilly,” said Chief Wright. “Some of the parts were not there by any means. So, employees were returning those putting them under warranty. Knowing that was not correct and allow it to go on to the tune of about $10,580.”

Police say they have no evidence the employees got anything in return.

“If I’m going to put my, you know, my job on the line, I would want something back and in return,” Wright told Hershovitz. “They’re not claiming they got anything in return.”

He says from his knowledge, these five employees were all the employees that store has.

“We arrested all three employees and the store had to be closed temporarily that evening,” said Wright.

>>PHOTOS: Large law enforcement investigation underway at Harrison Twp. apartment building

Hershovitz says he went to the O’Reilly Auto Parts on Miami Street to see what they had to say. The employee inside said he was just helping the store out for the day and directed News Center 7 to the company’s spokesperson.

So, Hershovitz called them Thursday. The spokesperson said he does not comment on open investigations.

Wright says they are still looking for the local businessman.

“We think that he knows we’re looking for him,” he said. “His attorney knows that we are looking for him and claims that he’s going to have him produce himself later this week. But one we catch up with him, we’ll be charging him as well.”

News Center 7 will continue to provided updates.

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 11

West Milton O'Riley's Theft Investigation Robert Conley (top left), William Charles III (top middle), Johnathan Hittle (top right), Chase Lang (bottom left) and Hayden Cummings (bottom right) | Contributed Photos/Miami County Jail

©2023 Cox Media Group