Columbia worker charged with taking $70 in change

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A former Columbia parking meter employee is charged with pocketing $70 worth of coins from three parking meters.

Columbia Police Chief Randy Scott said Friday that 52-year-old William Radden of Columbia is charged with petit larceny.

An arrest warrant says Radden used a key to open the back of three meters Wednesday on Main Street. It says he removed $70.25 worth of change and put it in a cup in his work vehicle. An officer who watched him do it arrested him.

The warrant says Radden confessed to taking the money to help pay bills.

It was unclear if he has an attorney. A listed home phone number had been disconnected.

A news release directed questions on Radden’s employment to parking services, which declined to answer questions.