generic A former Kohler Company employee has been ordered to pay $20,000 restitution for stealing equipment
Fulfilling our obligation: This report is part of the Sheboygan Press's mission to follow criminal cases from arrest to their conclusion.
SHEBOYGAN - A Kiel man must pay Kohler Company more than $20,000 in restitution for equipment he stole as a former employee.
Mark Schaefer, 50, was charged with felony theft of over $10,000 worth of equipment from Kohler Company in 2019. With headquarters in Kohler and manufacturing locations worldwide, Kohler Co. is best known for making kitchen and bath products but also makes cabinetry, tile and lighting, engines and generators, and owns golf courses and hospitality destinations.
In a May plea agreement, Schaefer pleaded no contest to amended charges of three counts of misdemeanor theft of less than $2,500 worth of property each.
Sheboygan County Circuit Court Judge Rebecca Persick sentenced him on Monday to two years of probation with the condition of payment of the full restitution amount requested by Kohler.
Schaefer's motivation for stealing equipment remains unclear
As a former Kohler employee, Schaefer took thousands of dollars of equipment home from work including generators, a drill press, welder, toolbox, aluminum sheeting and more, according to the criminal complaint.
A plea agreement between prosecutors and Schaefer significantly reduced the seriousness of charges he faced for the theft.
Under state law, for theft of more than $10,000 of property, a felony crime, a person can be sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in prison.
For the theft of less than $2,500 worth of property, a misdemeanor crime, a person can be sentenced to a maximum of nine months in jail for each count.
Judge Persick generally sentences people to jail or prison time when she believes they must be “closely monitored for society’s protection,” which did not seem to be Schaefer’s situation, she said during his sentencing hearing Monday.
A 35-year resident of Kiel, Schaefer has no prior criminal history.
Prosecutors also recommended a sentence of probation as the best solution to give Schaefer time to pay back restitution.
Stephanie Rock, Schaefer’s attorney, said it was never Schaefer’s intent not to return the property.
When confronted about stealing equipment in 2019, Schaefer told a corporate security director some items he took were being “scrapped” and that he planned to fix them either for his own use or to return them, but police found essentially brand-new generators at his home, according to the criminal complaint.
Judge Persick said Schaefer’s explanation did not seem plausible.
“It’s still unclear to me why you were taking this stuff," Persick said. "That’s a little troubling to the court,”
Reach Maya Hilty at 920-400-7485 or MHilty@sheboygan.gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @maya_hilty.
This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: Former Kohler Company employee charged with theft must pay restitution
