Media

Former Restaurant Employee Caught With Money And The Store's Cash Register

Release Date: December 17, 2004

An alert Shelby County Sheriff's Deputy stopped a man on Interstate 40 near Germantown Parkway early this morning. The man had with him money and a cash register taken from his former employer.

It all began shortly after one o'clock this morning when Sheriff's Office Sergeant Joey Moore saw a black BMW speeding and weaving in the east bound lane. The car was also traveling 85 in a 70 MPH zone.

Sergeant Moore stopped the vehicle. As he talked to the driver, there was a smell of alcohol on the driver's breath. An open beer container was also in the car. Sergeant Moore also noticed a bag of money in the driver's floorboard along with a video tape.

The driver allowed deputies to search the car. In the trunk, they found a cash register which had apparently been pried open. Some rolled coins were with it. After opening the register, receipts were found from the China Super Buffet at 4764 American Way.

Deputies contacted the Memphis Police Department which sent officers to the restaurant and found it had been burglarized a few hours before. The security surveillance tape was missing.

The operators of the restaurant were called to the scene on Interstate 40 where the suspect was being detained. He was identified as a former employee of the restaurant.

Investigators recovered $1589.15 in the bag that was in the car. Almost $1000 was also found in the man's pockets. The video tape in the car also was from the restaurant's security system. A recording of the crime, however, was not found on the tape.

Deputies have charged Zi Le Pan, 39, of East Meadows, New York, with Burglary, Speeding, and violation of the Open Container Law.

“Sergeant Moore's vigilance and dedication are to be commended. This again is another reason why our Deputies are aggressively enforcing traffic laws. Thanks to Sergeant Moore's efforts, this burglary was solved and money from the business recovered,” said Shelby County Sheriff Mark H. Luttrell, Jr.

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