MCLB theft investigation underway | News

ALBANY, GA- Investigators confirm they caught at least two Albany Marine Corps Logistics Base employees red handed, stealing government property at the base.

A search of homes led Investigators to more stolen government property.

Naval Criminal Investigative Services Agents say there have been no arrests or firings of base employees so far, but they are looking into the theft of thousands of dollars in government property from the base.

NCIS Senior Resident Agent Murray Strait says the stolen property includes an assortment of old and new tools and property stolen from various places across the base. Agent Strait would go on camera with us, but he confirmed at least two base employees were caught red handed on surveillance video loading government property onto a truck.

Agents found more stolen property later at homes of employees, saying that it amounted to thousands of dollars in stolen property.

The Base Public Affairs Officer would release very little information, except to say these thefts are considered a federal crime.

"You take theft very seriously on any government installation. That's government property that we are talking about. So not just for us, but for the taxpayer as well," Lt. Kyle Thomas said.

NCIS said their investigation is still in the early stages, and that have "lots of employees and ex-employees" to interview about these thefts to see where their information they gather leads them.

Agents are not sure how long these thefts have been going on, but that their investigation so far has uncovered "new leads and suspects."

"Normally investigations of this nature take months," Lt. Thomas said.

NCIS Agents say the thefts seem to have occurred across the base, involving several different commands and divisions, which will take time to investigate.

Agents say the results of their investigation will be referred to the U.S. Attorney's office, and if needed then on to federal grand juries, and they confirm it could be months before any arrests are made.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service confirms they are the lead agency in this investigation so far.

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