Charges in theft at lodge

Police continue search for man charged with theft of $20,000 from Moose Lodge on Old Georges Road.

By: Joseph Harvie
   Police are looking for a man charged with stealing $20,000 from Moose Lodge 263 of South Brunswick on Old Georges Road.
   Police said Russell Quabeck, 41, of Union and his brother, Scott Quabeck, 37, of North Brunswick were charged with the theft after allegedly stealing the money over an eight-month period, taking money from bar receipts and fund-raisers.
   Detective James Stoddard said Scott Quabeck was charged Wednesday with conspiracy to commit theft after he turned himself in to police. He was processed and released pending a court date.
   Russell Quabeck also was expected to turn himself in Wednesday, but did not, the detective said. Police have issued a warrant for his arrest.
   Detective Stoddard said Scott Quabeck is the administrator of the lodge and is responsible for the group’s finances. Russell Quabeck was a bartender at the lodge. The Moose Lodge is a private club and members can go to the bar on a daily basis, he said.
   Detective Stoddard said the executive members of the lodge discovered that money was missing from its bank account and became suspicious of the brothers, who volunteered there.
   Police said the members compared old bar receipts and bank deposits with ones from the past eight months and noticed a significant difference. The group filed a complaint with police March 21, Detective Stoddard said.
   Detective Stoddard said after looking at the bank statements and interviewing the executive members and the brothers, he concluded that Russell Quabeck stole the money while Scott Quabeck allowed it to happen.