Ex-member of condo board held in theft
The woman told Inverness police she took about $2,700 because of personal financial pressures but that she planned to pay it back, police said.

 
Article Courtesy of the St. Petersburg Times
By JORGE SANCHEZ
Published March 16, 2004

A former board member of the Cypress Cove condominiums property owners association was arrested on theft charges Monday.

Linda Joyce Deptola, 60, 1288 Cypress Court Cove, was arrested at her house by Inverness police Detective Michael Erb. Deptola was charged with stealing money from the group by making checks out to cash and then taking the money.

During questioning, Deptola said the thefts had been going on for about one year, according to an arrest affidavit. She told police she would take $300 to $400 at a time and estimated the total taken was $2,700, police said.

Deptola told police that financial pressures had been building because she had to take care of relatives who came to live with her, the affidavit said. She said she was afraid of losing her home. 

She told police she intended to pay the money back but that she was voted off the board and could no longer access the checkbook to get a deposit slip to make restitution, police said.

Deptola was charged with grand theft and was released from the Citrus County jail after posting $2,000 bail.

Deptola served as a board member from 1997 until her removal in November, a member of the board of directors said.

Bonnie Pilkington, the secretary and treasurer of the board that represents the owners of the 64 condominium units, called Deptola's removal an action "that was in the best interest of the association."

Deptola has a record of community service. 

In 2002, she was the secretary for the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County. 

She was on the planning committee for the 2003 Taste of Citrus fundraiser and worked as general manager of Meadowcrest, a residential community near Crystal River.