Police are asking for the public's help in tracking down a man they believe stole thousands of dollars from a charter school in Chandler.
Stealing from a school -- how, um, classy.
Authorities say James Bassett, along with his wife, Laurie Bassett, embezzled more than $20,000 from the Dobson Academy School in Chandler, where Laurie Bassett worked in the finance department.
The scheme -- if it is even worthy of that distinction -- doesn't sound all that complicated, either.
Apparently, while working in the school's finance office, Laurie Bassett would file bogus invoices for janitorial and school supplies and then just write her husband a check from the school in that amount.
Not exactly Oceans Eleven but the pair managed to get away with it for about a year.
The Bassetts were caught when the school conducted an audit and realized that spending on urinal cakes, bleach, and other janitorial and school supplies had gone up by more than 300 percent in a single year.
Laurie Bassett got pinched on Tuesday, but James is still on the loose.
James Bassett is wanted on forgery charges. He is described about 6 feet tall and 180 pounds, with brown eyes. He drives a 1985 Chevrolet Van, with Arizona plate AEB-9980 and works in the construction industry. The Chandler Police Department is encouraging anyone with information about the location of Bassett to call 480-782-4130.
