Mayor Jane Castor, City Of Tampa | City Of Tampa website
Mayor Jane Castor, City Of Tampa | City Of Tampa website
Tampa Police have charged Rosa Harwell, 47, with 51 felonies related to the theft of over $70,000 from a local bakery on W Cypress St. The incidents occurred during her employment at the bakery.
The owner of the bakery stated that Harwell was employed on November 15, 2016. An internal audit was conducted after a pattern of negative transactions, marked as refunds on the Point-of-Sale systems, emerged during her weekend shifts. These fraudulent activities were identified between March 2020 and February 2025, totaling more than 500 transactions.
On February 16, 2025, detectives interviewed Harwell. She explained that she had tutored the owner's son in the past and was promised reimbursement for lowering her tutoring fees through increased pay at the bakery. However, she claimed this raise was never reflected in her direct deposits. Consequently, she began paying herself directly from the register four to five years ago.
Harwell surrendered to authorities at Orient Road Jail on March 13, 2025. She faces charges including 50 felony counts of false entry in books of business entity and one felony count of grand theft second degree.
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