photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

A Lawrence Police Department patrol vehicle is pictured June 28, 2022.

A 21-year-old Lawrence man was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of stealing thousands of dollars from the Lawrence grocery store that employed him.

The man, Ethan Cade Waters, was taken into custody after the store asset manager at the Dillons at 3000 W. Sixth St. informed the police about an investigation the store had conducted internally regarding an employee.

“The asset manager presented the officer with the evidence they gathered, and the officer placed the employee under arrest,” according to Lawrence police spokeswoman Laura McCabe.

“We have reason to believe the employee had been stealing large sums of money from the store since the beginning of the year,” McCabe added.

An affidavit has been submitted to the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office for charging consideration.

The jail log lists the suspected offense as theft by deception in the amount of $25,000 to $100,000. The log indicates that Waters was released later Saturday on a $2,500 cash or surety bond.