NJ firefighter loses $78K job for shoplifting $7.98 breakfast
A New Jersey firefighter will lose his $78,096-a-year job after being convicted of shoplifting $7.98 worth of items.
A Municipal Court judge on Friday said 34-year-old Ashton Funk of Northfield has to forfeit his jobs as a firefighter and lifeguard after pleading guilty to shoplifting from a convenience store in Margate in August.
His attorney is appealing the conviction and Funk declined to comment.
Funk wasn’t on duty as a Margate firefighter or member of the beach patrol at the time of the offense.
But the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office wanted him dismissed from the job that he’s held since 2011, saying a public employee is subject to dismissal if convicted of an offense involving dishonesty.
Prosecutors said Funk walked out of a convenience store with sunflower seeds, a breakfast sandwich, Gatorade, and coffee.
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