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Plymouth Public Schools food director accused of stealing equipment, food
Updated: 2:56 PM EDT Jun 6, 2025
A Plymouth, Massachusetts, school food director is accused of stealing equipment and food paid for by the school system to use in his own Cape Cod restaurant. Patrick VanCott, 62, of Sandwich, stole food, cafeteria equipment, classroom equipment and paper goods from Plymouth Public Schools over several years, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz and Plymouth Police Chief Dana A. Flynn said. Plymouth police launched an investigation after getting a tip that someone was stealing commercial equipment and food products from the school system, paid for with town, state and federal money. VanCott was the director of Plymouth Public Schools Food Services and the sole person with the authority to place orders for the cafeteria, investigators said. VanCott also operates the Snack Shack at Sandy Neck Beach in Barnstable.Investigators said VanCott’s food orders consisted of premium Angus hamburgers, hot dogs, lobster meat and other food products that were not served to students or school staff. On April 4, investigators said video shows VanCott taking two under-the-counter commercial refrigerators from the school — one in a town-owned truck and one in his personal vehicle. Traffic cameras show VanCott’s personal truck crossing the Sagamore Bridge onto Cape Cod with the fridge in the back. Investigators said school cafeteria workers told them that once a week for years between Memorial Day and Labor Day, VanCott ordered them to slice two bags of deli turkey and one bag of ham, place them in a box inside the refrigerator with the initials “PVC” written on it. Other workers said they saw VanCott take condiments, snacks, paper goods, coffee and other items from the kitchen.Investigators said items ordered by VanCott and paid for by the Plymouth Public Schools not located on school property totaled more than $8,300, and included a refrigerated sandwich table for $1,700, two fry pans for $96, convection oven for $850, undercounter freezer for $1,700, microwave for $299, bagel warmer for $294 and a Cuisinart coffee maker for $84.On June 4, police executed a search warrant at the Snack Shack where they located a 28-foot industrial-sized refrigerator, bins, government-issued food, a coffee maker, blackboards and other items. VanCott was arrested and charged with larceny over $1,200 by a single scheme and larceny from a building. He pleaded not guilty and was held on $50,000 cash bail and ordered to stay away from all Plymouth school campuses and school storage facility.VanCott has been placed on administrative leave from Plymouth Public Schools.
A Plymouth, Massachusetts, school food director is accused of stealing equipment and food paid for by the school system to use in his own Cape Cod restaurant.
Patrick VanCott, 62, of Sandwich, stole food, cafeteria equipment, classroom equipment and paper goods from Plymouth Public Schools over several years, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz and Plymouth Police Chief Dana A. Flynn said.
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Plymouth police launched an investigation after getting a tip that someone was stealing commercial equipment and food products from the school system, paid for with town, state and federal money.
VanCott was the director of Plymouth Public Schools Food Services and the sole person with the authority to place orders for the cafeteria, investigators said. VanCott also operates the Snack Shack at Sandy Neck Beach in Barnstable.
Investigators said VanCott’s food orders consisted of premium Angus hamburgers, hot dogs, lobster meat and other food products that were not served to students or school staff.
On April 4, investigators said video shows VanCott taking two under-the-counter commercial refrigerators from the school — one in a town-owned truck and one in his personal vehicle. Traffic cameras show VanCott’s personal truck crossing the Sagamore Bridge onto Cape Cod with the fridge in the back.
Investigators said school cafeteria workers told them that once a week for years between Memorial Day and Labor Day, VanCott ordered them to slice two bags of deli turkey and one bag of ham, place them in a box inside the refrigerator with the initials “PVC” written on it. Other workers said they saw VanCott take condiments, snacks, paper goods, coffee and other items from the kitchen.
Investigators said items ordered by VanCott and paid for by the Plymouth Public Schools not located on school property totaled more than $8,300, and included a refrigerated sandwich table for $1,700, two fry pans for $96, convection oven for $850, undercounter freezer for $1,700, microwave for $299, bagel warmer for $294 and a Cuisinart coffee maker for $84.
On June 4, police executed a search warrant at the Snack Shack where they located a 28-foot industrial-sized refrigerator, bins, government-issued food, a coffee maker, blackboards and other items.
VanCott was arrested and charged with larceny over $1,200 by a single scheme and larceny from a building. He pleaded not guilty and was held on $50,000 cash bail and ordered to stay away from all Plymouth school campuses and school storage facility.
VanCott has been placed on administrative leave from Plymouth Public Schools.
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