City of Naples employee accused of stealing, selling city-owned chainsaw, exhaust fluid

NAPLES, Fla. —

A City of Naples employee was arrested on May 21 after being accused of stealing and selling equipment owned by the city.

According to the Naples Police Department arrest report, officers received a call from someone on April 9 who believed they had purchased stolen City of Naples property. The caller told officers that shortly after Hurricane Ian made landfall in 2022, they had purchased a chainsaw from a City of Naples mechanic, identified as Matthew Laur.

The caller said they knew Laur due to a relationship with Laur's mother, the arrest report said. The caller knew that Laur was a mechanic for the city and had asked him about buying a chainsaw for $350. The caller said they paid Laur the price, used the chainsaw a couple of times and then put it in storage until 2024.

The caller was later made aware that the city was conducting an extensive criminal investigation into employee theft, and believed they had unknowingly purchased stolen property, which led to the caller contacting police, the report said.

The caller also told officers that they had purchased multiple containers of Diesel Exhaust Fluid from Laur.

The caller provided officers with photos of the chainsaw, and unique numbers located on the chainsaw allowed a City of Naples Equipment Services Manager to confirm that the chainsaw was stolen property, the report said.

On May 21, officers brought Laur in for questioning. Laur confirmed the chainsaw was city property, but said that the caller was being vindictive toward his mother and their family, the report said.

Laur was arrested and faces a charge of grand theft.

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