The Virginia Tech Police Department arrested Edward Dion Crook II, age 22, of Blacksburg, and charged him with six counts of misdemeanor forgery and one count of felony embezzlement.

After an investigation, Virginia Tech Police found that Crook, an employee of Catering Services located in Owens Hall, allegedly forged approximately 133 employee meal tickets between Nov. 2, 2013, and April 7, 2014, resulting in a loss to the university’s dining services of approximately $1,000.

Crook allegedly obtained the employee meal tickets from an unlocked cabinet in the kitchen area of Owens Hall. Crook then forged the signature of a former supervisor previously employed in Owens Hall in order to obtain meals free of charge.

“While some may look at the economic loss in a case such as this as minimal, it is important to note the potential impact on others,” said Virginia Tech acting Police Chief Kevin Foust.  “In these times when universities like Virginia Tech are doing all they can to keep the educational costs to students as low as possible, any loss, no matter how big or small, can potentially have a ripple effect. In that case, we all pay.”

Crook was arrested by officers from the Virginia Tech Police Department on campus without incident and transported to the Montgomery County Magistrate Office where he was released on a recognizance bond.

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