Parks Worker Arrested Over Theft of City Paving Blocks

A veteran Glendale parks worker accused of stealing nine tons of paving blocks from a city yard was arrested Monday and ordered to stay home from work this week pending disciplinary action.

Thomas J. Bowman, 46, a 21-year city employee, surrendered to police after grand theft charges were filed against him in Glendale Municipal Court. Arraignment is scheduled March 26.

According to a police report, 1,327 concrete paving blocks missing from a city yard were found in the rear of Bowman’s home in Glendale, laid out to form a 20-by-30-foot parking area. The hexagonal-shaped blocks are valued at more than $2,000.

City officials said police are continuing to investigate the disappearance of more than 400 other blocks also taken over a period of several weeks from a locked maintenance yard at the Scholl Canyon baseball fields. Officials said more than 100 employees have keys to the yard.

The investigation began in January after police and city officials received an anonymous phone call and a letter from a tipster who reported witnessing two employees loading blocks into their private vans at the city yard. No other arrests have been made.

Nello Iacono, director of parks, recreation and community services, said the theft of city-owned materials by an employee is the first incidence of its kind that he can recall in his 12 years with the city.