Golf clubs are used to deal with an occasional headache, a broken gate, a scuffed green, and maybe a bit of petty vandalism after hours. Most of the time, it’s nothing a good fence and a security camera can’t fix. But when the person siphoning money out of the clubhouse turns out to be the man running it, it’s a whole different problem. New York State Police say the alleged thefts occurred at Somers National Golf Club in Westchester County, and the case has landed a 37-year-old restaurant manager behind bars.

So what did the suspect do?

Golfweek reports that Somers’ restaurant manager, David Chung, 37, faces charges of second-degree burglary, a Class C felony; second-degree criminal mischief, a Class D felony; and third-degree grand larceny, a Class D felony.

Investigators said the case began on July 25 when Chung had allegedly collected a total of $4,800 from two individuals. According to them, Chung told the individuals that he needed the money to repair the damage they had caused before a scheduled event. It escaped most people’s notice, and the golfers didn’t suspect that they were being duped. Things changed a few days later.

The officials at the golf club noticed $12,000 in business proceeds were missing on July 26. They informed the police, and the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation led the probe. Four days into the investigation, the state police uncovered more money leeched out of the business.

The burglary after the $12K theft

According to authorities, Chung had forced his way into the clubhouse in the early morning hours and made off with more than $2,600 in cash and checks. Along with that, he picked up several golf bags containing clubs and other equipment that are valued at around $9,500. Chung has allegedly stolen over $28,000 in total.

Has he been arrested?

Yes. According to an official press release from the New York State Police, Chung was arrested and arraigned on August 7. He was produced in court, and his bail was set at $15,000 cash, a $30,000 bond, or a $60,000 partially secured bond.

Chung was to return to Somers Town Court on August 10 to enter a plea. It is not known whether Chung pleaded guilty. Further details are not currently available. But this is not an isolated incident.

Burglars have stolen clubs, trophies, money and more

Earlier this year, a golf club in Kent, England, fell victim to masked men who robbed the club of its valuable trophies. A few masked men smashed the glasses to steal the trophies. The incident bore an uncanny resemblance to West Malling Golf Club incident just a few days prior.

In the last week of January, three people stole the trophies from the West Malling club. The authorities posted the CCTV footage on their social media handle and offered a £5,000 (around $6,761) reward to anyone who could help them catch the thieves.

You would be wrong to think that this is a new trend. Hardly so.

Back in 2005, a report on Deseret News revealed that a golfer’s entire golf bag, worth $3,000, got stolen from a crowded clubhouse at the Old Mill Golf Course. That was one of many similar incidents at the same club, and it prompted the golf club to issue a warning to its members.

However, golf clubs facing damage or intrusion aren’t limited to staff-level theft either. Cases of vandalism and damage have extended to golf courses too.

Earlier this year, on Saturday, July 18, four boys carrying golf clubs were seen vandalizing Routenburn Golf Club in Scotland. They dug up sections of the 4th and 14th greens and stole tee markers during their late-night visit to the course. The boys used a car parked outside the course to leave after the vandalism.

Unfortunately, it hasn’t been a lone incident either. In February, the Royal Easternburg Golf Club faced a similar blow. Vandals showed up with shovels and dug holes across 12 greens (six on the 100-year-old Devonshire course and six on the Hartington course).

While police intervention can help, background checks and cameras can always help detect an outside threat first.