Caught With A Hand In The Cookie Jar

If you're going to steal, at least don't be stupid -- and don't take little girls' cookie cash.

A Girl Scout leader has been charged with stealing $5,000 raised by a central Ohio troop through cookie sales and other fund-raisers.

Teresa Wickline, 42, of Lewis Center, was scheduled to be arraigned Thursday on a felony theft charge. Prosecutors accuse her of raiding the checking account of Troop 225 to pay for cell phone bills and other personal expenses.

She could spend up to 18 months in prison and be ordered to pay back the money if convicted.

"Five thousand dollars is a lot of Thin Mints," Delaware County Prosecutor Dave Yost said. "The only reason she had access to these funds is because people trusted her."

Parents noticed the troop had only $8 in the bank in January and alerted the Girl Scouts Seal of Ohio Council. Police became involved after checks written from the troop account bounced.

She only left $8 in the account? C'mon, have some sense. You're only suppose to steal half. You know, the ol' Edwin Edwards math: "One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me."

Oh, and "$5,000 is a lot of Thin Mints"? Ha, gotta love a prosecutor who can deliver you a money quote. Tell me that guy doesn't know how to get his name in the newspaper. By the way, do you know how much money Girl Scout cookies generate each year?

An estimated 130 million to 200 million boxes of cookies are sold each year. With an average price of $3.50 a box, gross sales for Girl Scout Cookies, which are generally only sold from January through March, range from $455 million to $700 million annually.

The best part (as if $700 million a year isn't good enough)? No labor costs! The little girls do all the work; and Mom and Dad handle delivery. Sheer genius.