Council spends $190,000 trying to fire woman over $4 protein bar

A council has spent nearly $190,000 trying to fire a mum of three who they accuse of stealing a protein bar worth less than $5.

Gricelda Perez, 30, a police records specialist, was accused of stealing an RXbar from AM/PM market, in Ontario, California, in 2018, Daily Bulletin reported.

The manager of the store was adamant Ms Perez stole the bar and claimed to have CCTV of her placing it into her pocket.

Ms Perez maintained her innocence.

The City of Ontario paid an expert to review the footage but they said it was inconclusive. A police officer who visited the store and watched the CCTV on the day of the alleged theft was also unconvinced Ms Perez stole the protein bar.

An independent arbitrator called for the city to reinstate her.

In a video posted on Facebook by her legal team in 2020 she said her job “meant so much more for me to be working for the City of Ontario”.

“I am going to continue fighting until justice is served,” she said.

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However, the city fired Ms Perez.

A San Bernardino County Superior Court judge has now reviewed the footage and ordered the city to follow the arbitrator’s decision and reinstate Ms Perez. This ruling was made on December 20.

Ms Perez returned to work on January 31.

“I’m grateful that this day came after so long,” she said in a statement.

The legal fees the city spent in trying to fire Ms Perez ended up costing US$133,86 ($189,375).

The protein bar, which Ms Perez was accused of stealing, cost $4.20.

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