Charges in Rochester Chemical Theft Case Dismissed
Rochester, MN (RochesterNow)- The Olmsted County Attorney’s Office has dismissed a felony theft case involving stolen chemicals.
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A former employee was accused of stealing nearly $10,000 worth of chemicals from his employer. The company is not named in the complaint, however it’s based in northwest Rochester and makes chemical compounds used coating for gemstones.
Rochester Police officers responded to the business in October of 2023 and were told by the manager and an employee that a large quantity of certain chemicals used to make the compound were going missing.
Charges Against Former Employee of Rochester Chemical Company Dismissed
The employer identified the former worker as Eng Kiong Ng. The charges say footage captured on October 3 from a camera hidden in the chemical mixing part of the business shows Ng put together the compound mixture then transferring it to a mason jar before walking out of the building with a jar in a bag he was carrying.
An employee said he confronted Ng in the parking lot and that Ng gave the mixture back, claiming he was retrieving the jar from his vehicle. The company also alleges Ng has not returned an employee-issued laptop prior to his dismissal.
The chemical mixture Ng is accused of transferring to the jar is valued at $9,200.08. The laptop is worth $605.48.
The Rochester man was also accused of stealing a new airbrush and replacing it with a new air brush. In all Ng was alleged to have stolen $9,901.56 worth of property from the company.
Dismissal Notice
In its dismissal notice, the Olmsted County Attorney’s Office cited attorneys representing the company who informed the prosecution their client would face “extreme financial hardship” if the criminal case were to go to trial.
The dismissal filing also indicates there is an ongoing civil case.
