Tosha McCarty, a 48-year-old former bartender manager at Allie Katz Bar and Grill, surrendered to Richmond County authorities on Thursday on a charge of felony theft by taking. The restaurant owner described it as the ultimate betrayal.
The suspect, who had worked at the family-owned restaurant for 16 1/2 years, is accused of embezzling at least $1,500. She has been released on bond.
According to Brian Birmingham, owner of Allie Katz, McCarty stole between $300 to $500 per shift, with total thefts exceeding $1,500 in just over a week. That’s just what he can prove with video. He said he believes the thefts may have been going on for years since she had worked for him for 16 years. He just got a new point-of-sale (POS) system, which made thefts harder to get away with.
The recent thefts were reportedly carried out through manipulative practices involving the restaurant’s new POS system. Surveillance videos provided to the police show McCarty using two primary methods: either entering amounts into the register but canceling the transactions before they were processed, or pocketing cash from patrons by altering tabs.
Birmingham, who described himself as deeply betrayed by McCarty, noted that the suspect’s actions have had a profound personal and financial impact on him.
“Betrayed is the most tame way you can say that,” Birmingham said. “I have been doing this for 20 years, and this betrayal is the worst someone has ever done to me.”
Despite a strong personal and professional relationship with McCarty—he had attended her wedding and had taken her and other staff members on trips to various destinations—Birmingham emphasized that he is not seeking revenge but feels that McCarty needs to face legal consequences for her actions.
Sgt. Thomas Johnson from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that deputies responded to the theft case at Allie Katz Bar and Grill, located at 3112 Washington Road, Augusta. The case has been under investigation, with documentation and video evidence provided by Birmingham.
The evidence suggests that McCarty committed the thefts from Jan. 1 to July 13, 2024. McCarty’s current address is listed in Martinez.
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