Gurnee woman denies $9,000 theft from employer

A Gurnee woman pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges she stole more than $9,000 while working as a receptionist at a spa in the village.

Katherine Spino, 23, faces up to five years in prison if convicted of felony theft but would also be eligible for probation.

Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney James Newman said Spino, of the 1900 block of Madison Avenue, was the receptionist and cashier at the Octagon Salon and Spa for about five years.

Police said in May of last year, Spino began taking cash that customers had used to pay for products and services, and covered the thefts with computer entries showing payment had been made by gift card.

On Aug. 14, Newman said, the spa manager checked the daily receipts and thought it suspicious that so many gift card payments had been made on a single day.

The manager called some of the customers who were listed as having paid by gift card, Newman said, and those customers said they had given cash to Spino.

The manager confronted Spino the following day, Newman said, and Spino admitted what she had done and was fired.

Spino gave the spa manager $500 to cover what she had stolen, Newman said, but an audit of the business’ books showed a loss of $9,332 between May and the day Spino was fired.

Associate Judge Christopher Stride ordered Spino, who was freed from custody after posting $500 for bond, to appear in court March 8.