A former employee of a discount store at University City Shopping Center was arrested earlier this week for stealing more than $8,000 in cash from the store’s safe.

The Dollars store employee, a 17-year-old girl, was arrested Sunday at an apartment at 12400 E. Mansfield.

Cory C. Rutty, 21, also was arrested at the apartment. Rutty was sitting on a couch in the living room, holding a large amount of cash when sheriff’s deputies arrived, said Lt. David Wiyrick.

A bottle possibly containing methamphetamine also was in front of him, Wiyrick said.

Deputies questioned the girl about the burglary at the Dollars store and searched the apartment. A substantial amount of cash and more suspected methamphetamine were found, Wiyrick said.

Wiyrick did not provide the exact amount of cash deputies recovered from the apartment.

The girl was booked into the Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center for second-degree burglary and possession of a controlled substance, both felonies. Rutty was taken to the Spokane County Jail and booked on the same charges.

An employee at the Dollars store discovered the burglary on Sunday and told deputies the store had been burglarized overnight, Wiyrick said.

More than $8,000 in cash was reportedly taken from the store’s safe. A fax machine also was stolen.

, DataTimes