Chief accused of stealing $178,000 from local fire department arrested in South Carolina

A fire chief accused of taking nearly $180,000 from the department he led is in custody.

Pennsylvania State Police confirm Matthew White, the chief of the South Greensburg Fire Department, was arrested in South Carolina and is awaiting extradition back to Pennsylvania.

In a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, state police say they didn’t receive a tip about the stolen money. Instead, investigators say White’s family called on Monday, claiming they didn’t know where he was and they were worried he was going to hurt himself.

While looking to see if he used any credit cards recently, investigators noticed a recent withdrawal from the fire department for around $3,000.

That led them to find out that more than $178,000 was taken from the department, and eventually White being located in another state.

“I guess if there’s a bright side to this, he wasn’t hurt,” Trooper Steve Limani said. “He didn’t hurt himself. He was able to be taken into custody without any type of incident. He’ll be brought back here and we’ll work through the horrible scenario of all of the money being removed from a volunteer fire department that’s been very active in the community in South Greensburg.”

It’s unclear when White will be brought back to Westmoreland County for a single felony charge of theft by unlawful taking.

The South Greensburg Fire Department gave this statement:

“The South Greensburg Fire Department recently became aware of serious allegations involving Fire Chief Matt White and the potential misappropriation of department funds. After careful consideration, he was removed from the department effective immediately.

“This department maintains a strict policy of zero tolerance for any misuse of funds. The trust placed in this organization by our community is paramount and will be safeguarded without exception. Any breach of that trust will be addressed promptly and decisively.

“We are fully cooperating with the Pennsylvania State Police in their ongoing investigation and will continue to support their efforts to ensure a complete and thorough review of the facts.

“The actions of one individual does not define this department. Our firefighters and officers remain committed to serving this community with integrity, professionalism, and accountability.”

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