Credit union employee accused of stealing money from vault

VANCOUVER, Wash. - Police say a credit union worker stole $120,000 from the credit union's vault and lost it at a casino.

According to court documents, police believe Roxane Ramey pocketed cash for her gambling habit and got away with it for a year and a half.

Ramey was in charge of the vault at the Cowlitz Credit Union and lives in Longview with her husband, Ron. The couple declined to speak to KATU News.

But their neighbors said they're stunned to hear Roxane Ramey was arrested and almost all of the money was reportedly blown at the Lucky Eagle Casino.

Between July 2010 and this past December, court documents say that Ramey changed records to hide the missing money.

At the end of each day, she was allowed to balance the cash in the vault alone. She was the only one with the key to the cash drawer. Police say she canceled vacations and never missed a day of work for a year and a half just so she could keep an eye on those accounts and keep her scheme hidden.

Police say $59,000 of cash ended up in a US Bank in Ramey's personal bank account. Ron Ramey's name was on most of the deposit slips and police say the couple then made numerous ATM withdrawals at the casino.

The casino told investigators the couple racked up $112,000 in gambling losses. The credit union only caught wind when another employee started filling in because Roxane Ramey was about to go on vacation.

Ramey is out of jail. Her husband is not charged with any crime.

According to the credit union, customers don't need to worry because their money is federally insured.

Ramey no longer works at the credit union and more strict procedures are now in place.