A woman who allegedly stole $15,000 from an elementary school’s Parent Teacher Organization used her children as lookouts in an attempt to evade arrest Tuesday morning, Longmont police said.
Officers had repeatedly gone to the home of Cali Blash, who is accused of swindling Northridge Elementary School’s PTO during her term as co-president of the group, said Longmont Detective Tim Lewis.
In recent months, Blash failed to appear in court to face charges that she pocketed money collected by the PTO and used it to pay credit-card and grocery bills, Lewis said.
Tuesday morning a detective and two patrol officers went to Blash’s home to arrest her. When her husband answered the door, he told police Blash was in Denver, Lewis said.
The three officers then hid and watched the home.
About 20 minutes later, two of the couple’s three children came out of the house and started looking for police, said Lewis.
They didn’t spot the hidden officers and returned to the home. A couple of minutes later, said Lewis, Cali Blash walked out of the home’s back door and was arrested.
Lewis said that Blash’s husband is now under investigation for aiding a fugitive. Police are working with social services to find placements for all three children.
Blash is accused of stealing from the PTO between October 2007 and May 2008. Lewis said she allegedly withdrew money from the PTO’s bank account — which required two signatures — by signing her own name and forging the signature of her co-president.
Blash was charged with theft and identity theft in October 2008. She failed to appear in court on Dec. 4 but then turned herself in Feb. 18.
She then failed to appear on March 12, which led to her arrest Tuesday.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
