Allegedly Stole More Than $100,000 From City Of South St. Paul

The manager of two Minneapolis-area airports has been placed on paid leave after being accused of stealing more than $100,000 from his former employer, the City of South St. Paul, MN.

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that Glenn Burke, 54, allegedly stole the money while he was the manager of South St. Paul Municipal Airport. He was charged in Dakota County District Court with seven counts of theft by swindle.

According to court documents, Burge absconded with nearly $109,000 between 2009 and 2015. He is accused of depositing checks made out to the city or the airport into an unauthorized bank account, then withdrawing money for himself.

Burke was hired by the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) to manage Anoka County-Blaine Airport and Crystal Airport, two reliever airports for Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. Burke had managed Fleming Field in South St. Paul since 1994.

The scheme came to light when the city received a notice that an account was overdrawn. South St. Paul police went to the bank with a warrant, and found that Burke had opened the account in 2006 using the name SSP Airport Fuel Co. The city says no such division exists.

Burke turned himself in to authorities on Tuesday, and is on paid administrative leave while the case is adjudicated.

(Booking photo from the Dakota County Sheriff's office)

FMI: www.metroairports.org