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Cruise

Purser charged with stealing $400,000 stored in shoebox

Monday, 14 August 20063 min read

Authorities in Alaska are charging a former Princess Cruises employee of stealing $400,000 from the safe of a ship regularly traveling between Vancouver and Whittier.

They said purser Elisha Cuffe took the money to her cabin and stashed it in a shoebox at the foot of her bed. The ship’s staff found the money during an internal investigation. She was charged with first degree theft.

The Australia resident told authorities she was storing the money for safekeeping.

Alaska State Trooper Gary Webb said crime on cruise ships is unusual.

“I think everybody is pretty surprised at the amount of money recovered,” he told the Associated Press.

Report by David Wilkening