May 28—WILKES-BARRE — A long-term manager at Falzone’s Towing Service based in Wilkes-Barre was charged with stealing more than $500,000 from the business by altering customer’s towing receipts and pocketing the money, according to court records.

Michael Anthony Cicon, 56, of Ferretti Drive, Wyoming, was arraigned Friday afternoon by District Judge Thomas Malloy of Wilkes-Barre on five counts of theft and two counts of receiving stolen property.

Detectives with Wilkes-Barre City police and Luzerne County district attorney’s office in court records say a large amount of cash taken from the towing business was found in duffel bags and a safe at Cicon’s residence when a search warrant was executed last week. Receipts from the towing business were also allegedly found at Cicon’s house.

Court records allege Cicon had been skimming from customers’ payments since January 2020 and either altered customers receipts or generated new receipts.

Paul Falzone, owner of the towing service on North Sherman Street, reported the alleged thefts in November.

According to the criminal complaint:

Cicon was a general manager at Falzone’s Towing who oversaw daily towing operations, dealt with customers and collected customers’ fees associated with towing and storage services, which included generating invoices and receipts.

Employees at Falzone’s reported suspicions that customers’ receipts were being altered and the total of customers’ fees were not being fully documented, the complaint says.

In reviewing several customer’s receipts, the complaint says, Cicon accepted cash and provided receipts, but generated new receipts listing lower payments paid by customers.

Cicon allegedly pocketed anywhere from $75 to $550 from each customer he collected payment and altered receipts.

Detectives used decoy customers during the investigation.

One decoy customer paid $780 for towing and storage service as Cicon submitted an internal receipt showing $720 cash was paid, as another decoy customer paid Cicon $960 for towing and storage service as he submitted an internal receipt of $900, the complaint says.

Cicon allegedly used Falzone’s bank/credit cards for personal purchases.

Detectives in the complaint say they recovered $544,951 from a safe and another $10,304 with Falzone towing receipts from Cicon’s residence when the search warrant was served.

Cicon was released on $175,000 unsecured bail after his arraignment Friday.