BEATRICE – A manufacturing employee in southeast Nebraska has been arrested for allegedly using a company credit card to make personal purchases…and selling items stolen from the company, online.

Beatrice Police arrested 41-year-old Mark Polson, of Beatrice Monday, on suspicion of theft by deception, with a value of over $5,000.

Investigators met with company officials at Exmark Manufacturing in mid-January, about an employee allegedly committing theft. Significant charges had been made on a company credit card.  Polson was terminated from employment at the manufacturer of lawn and turf care equipment on January 6th.  Exmark officials found that over $14,000 in personal charges using a company credit card had been made over an eight-month period. 

Officials also discovered that a large quantity of items allegedly ordered for Exmark through Polson’s work e-mail account, had been sold online on eBay.  Police said company officials determined that over $9,000 in items sold online were reported to have been stolen from the manufacturer.

A Beatrice Police investigator says a large number of e-mails, invoices and records were obtained to aid in the investigation. Police questioned Polson on February 8th about the allegations and arrested him on February 14th.

Authorities determined that the value of items stolen from Exmark and sold online was closer to $8,000.  Police said the suspect disputed the monetary amount involved in the credit card charges, but police found the fraudulent charges were in excess of $7,500.