An Oregon father is facing criminal charges for allegedly staging a home invasion in an attempt to cover up his theft of $740 from his daughter’s Girl Scout cookie sales.
Brian Couture, 40, reportedly called Forest Grove police to his home on March 6, claiming an unknown assailant entered his home through a sliding door. Couture claimed a struggle ensued before the suspect took off, according to KGW.
Officers said they found Couture unresponsive, leading him to be hospitalized for undisclosed injuries.
“There’s a distinct difference between being unconscious and being unresponsive,” Forest Grove Police Captain Michael Hall explained to the news station.
Police accused Couture of fabricating the entire burglary after reportedly learning that he had access to Girl Scout cookie money and that $740 was missing from the sales. KDRV reported that Couture ultimately confessed to staging the March 6 robbery that had police and a K9 combing the neighborhood for a nonexistent suspect.
A Girl Scouts spokesperson confirmed to the news station that Couture’s daughter is a Girl Scout and that there’s $740 missing in cookie money.
“At this time, Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington is following our normal procedure to collect on funds owed,” the nonprofit organization said in a statement issued to KPTV. “The stewardship of Girl Scout troop funds is a top priority for our organization, and that is our focus in this matter.”
Couture was arrested March 18 and charged with initiating a false report and improper use of an emergency reporting system. He pleaded not guilty last week to both charges.
[Featured image: Brian Couture/Washington County Sheriff’s Department]
