Harmony Woman Accused of $70,000 Theft Headed to Trial

A Harmony woman charged with stealing $73,714 from a Bellevue company where she once worked waived her right to a preliminary hearing on Thursday.

Patricia Alice Lumley, 58, faces a formal arraignment next month on charges of  receiving stolen property, access device fraud and four felony counts of theft.

She is accused of stealing from DeFinis Mechanical Contractors, where she oversaw the company's accounting, including accounts payable and payroll.

According to an affidavit filed by a detective with the Pittsburgh district attorney's office, Lumley was hired as account manager in July 2010, and overpaid her salary by $12,442 during her time with the company.

Authorities said she also cashed four business checks worth $6,364 made payable to herself, took out $7,879 in unauthorized ATM withdrawals and made $47,031 in unauthorized debit card purchases and personal online bill payments, including American Express and Verizon accounts.

Detectives began to investigate Lumley in January after a DeFinis employee hired to replace Lumley found accounting irregularities.

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