Employee Steals $10,000 From Galleria Store, Police Say

A former employee has been charged with stealing $10,000 from The Buckle, a store at the St. Louis Galleria.

Kelvin Laray Nelson, 21, of East St. Louis, was charged Friday with second-degree burglary and felony theft.

Richmond Heights Police said Nelson, who was an employee at The Buckle, was one of three individuals with access to the keys and the combination to the safe. Police said he gave the keys to the metal gate on the store entrance to another man two days before the burglary. The man stole $10,000 from the store Feb. 11.

Nelson was the getaway driver, according to police.

When he returned to the store for a meeting, Nelson saw security guards and tried to sneak into a back room to return the keys, police said.

Police said two other employees who had access to the keys and knew the combination to the safe have been cleared as suspects.

Nelson had been demoted a few weeks earlier, according to a court document.

A warrant was issued Friday for Nelson’s arrest. Bail has been set at $10,000 for Nelson.