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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 Man accused of stealing $450,000 from Coinstar kiosks By Jackson Holtz Herald Writer LYNNWOOD -- He's accused of stealing around $450,000 from grocery store coin-counting machines in three states. Lynnwood police believe Michael Burns, 39, ripped off the machines while working for Coinstar Inc. They allege Burns, of Maple Valley in King County, wore a company uniform when he walked into stores and used inside knowledge to break into the kiosks, according to court documents. When police arrested Burns on Friday, they confiscated around $130,000 in cash along with high-priced electronics and a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle, the documents said. Detectives still haven't accounted for thousands of dollars more that are missing. Police were alerted after loss prevention officers at Bellevue-based Coinstar discovered thefts at several of their kiosks. The machines convert loose change into cash. People dump bags of coins into the machines and -- in exchange for a percentage fee -- get a receipt back good for cash or services. The kiosks also accept paper currency and sell prepaid gift cards and phone cards, among other items, said Marci Maule, a company spokeswoman. Coinstar operates thousands of the kiosks in grocery stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Burns is accused of stealing cash, Maule said. Coinstar officials contacted Lynnwood police when they noticed nearly $17,500 missing from a kiosk at the Albertsons in the 19500 block of Highway 99. Evidence led detectives to Burns, the documents said. Burns worked to refurbish kiosks for the company in a Kent warehouse. He was not authorized to conduct field work, the documents said. He allegedly used knowledge of the machines to bypass security features. Police believe Burns is responsible for thefts from Coinstar machines in at least 14 western Washington locations, including several in Snohomish County. There's also evidence Burns may be behind thefts in Oregon and California, according to court papers. When Lynnwood police arrested Burns on Friday, they found around $125,000 cash in his bedroom and bathroom, $4,000 cash stuffed in a console of his truck and $350 in his pockets, the court documents said. Detectives found high-end electronics, a 2008 Harley-Davidson motorcycle and a 2007 GMC Denali. There also were several financial documents police collected as evidence. Burns was jailed for investigation of first-degree theft. He's being held on $250,000 cash-only bail. Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437 or jholtz@heraldnet.com.

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