License plate office manager charged with embezzlement

Raleigh, N.C. — The woman who operated the license plate office in Chapel Hill for more than a decade has been charged with embezzling money from the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles, authorities said Tuesday.

The DMV charged Caprina Kirkpatrick, 43, with embezzlement on Tuesday, a week after closing the license plate office in University Mall.

Officials said an internal review turned up monthly discrepancies, starting early this year, between money coming in to the Chapel Hill office and the amount deposited on a timely basis into the state's bank account.

Kirkpatrick, who had operated the office under a state contract since 1999, denied any wrongdoing in an interview with WRAL News after the closure.

The DMV has contracts for 122 license plate offices across the state. The offices provide vehicle registration services and title transactions, as well as vehicle license plate renewals.

Officials have closed two other license plate offices this year and four in 2011 for violations ranging from accounting irregularities to knowingly processing fraudulent paperwork to not keeping the right hours.

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Latest Comments

Do these places not have a checks and balances system?

You'd think because they're sanctioned by the state, the state would require that.

That is the real problem. Yes, she was wrong, but the fact she got by with it for so long indicates that the State doesn't audit diddly squat. What she did is bad, but the State not catching it for 10 years is even worse.

btneast
November 15, 2012 11:22 a.m.

All I want to say is if these offices are run by private contractors, WTH are they not OPEN ON WEEKENDS therefore competitive?

The fee structure is mandated by the state, so they cannot "compete" with other agencies in that manner.

btneast
November 15, 2012 11:18 a.m.

All I want to say is if these offices are run by private contractors, WTH are they not OPEN ON WEEKENDS therefore competitive? It is unnerving to take time off of work to stand in line waiting for the next counter drone.

due to it being a state office,they have to communicate with the state dmv computers,even the voice system doesn't give info after state hours at dmv

southerntalent
November 14, 2012 3:42 p.m.

Do these places not have a checks and balances system?

You'd think because they're sanctioned by the state, the state would require that.

Dynol Yn Cael Ei
November 14, 2012 1:45 p.m.

This lady has been under contract for 13 years, long before ARRA existed. I'm not against publicizing their religious preference, though.

miseem November 14, 2012 8:41 a.m........You maybe right, but I thought this has been around a lot longer.