Sgt. Kevin Karlsen

Sheriff Mike Scott and Lee County deputies today are calling this tale “The time the Grinch didn’t steal Christmas,” and how true their story is.

True enough for a Lehigh Acres man to be able to celebrate Christmas after he discovered he had lost $400 last week.

According to Lee County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Kevin Karlsen, Greg Cooke was at the Justice Center in Fort Myers with $400 in an envelope waiting to pay a fine.

As he approached the window, he noticed that he didn’t have the $400; something had happened to it and Cook didn’t have a clue.

What Sgt. Karlsen said happened was that he had to have dropped it while standing in the line.

When Cooke discovered he didn’t have the $400 in cash, he called for help from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

He told the Corrections Criminal Investigations Unit, also known as CCIU, that there was a possible grand theft of his money. When Karlsen arrived, he found out that Cooke was in line to pay the fine and had accidently dropped an envelope containing $400 in cash.

“Mr. Cooke didn’t realize that he had dropped the money and went on with his business, but moments later, he realized he had lost his cash and went to the security office to report his loss. The security office contacted the Bailiff’s Division which in turn contacted the Corrections Criminal Investigations Unit.

Sgt. Karlsen was called to the scene of the place where they money was dropped and upon reviewing security surveillance tape, he was able to pin down a suspect.

Karlsen was able to find the suspect who admitted that he had found the envelope with the $400 cash in it, but didn’t know what to do with it, he told the officer.

It didn’t take long for Karlsen to meet the suspect in Bonita Springs where he retrieved the envelope with the money still in it.

Very soon afterwards, the sheriff’s sergeant got back in touch with Cooke and made arrangements to get together with him at a gas station on Ortiz Ave. and SR82 so Cooke could get his money back.

Not only were both men happy, but the owner of the cash was so excited he asked Sgt. Karlsen if he could give him a hug,

Karlsen wasn’t sure, he said, that he had grasped what Cooke has just asked and out of his mouth, he replied, “Sir?”

Cooke didn’t waste any time and again said, “Can I hug you.”

Karlsen admitted that a big smile came on his face and he replied “Absolutely.”

Then Cooke gave his hug and said that “with all this negative nonsense going around about police officers, I just wanted you to know I think it’s ridiculous. You guys went above and beyond and here I stand with my money back in my hand.

“I can never thank all of you enough for the job you do,” Cooke said.

Karlsen, still smiling from the hug and the compliment, said, “Sir, I don’t think you will ever be able to understand how thankful I am for what you just said and did.”

“Your words and actions will forever leave a mark on me.”

Now that Cooke has his money back, he says he is happy to say that the money he thought was lost can now be used to purchase Christmas gifts for family and friends; all made possible with a little help from his friends at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

The word got around so fast that when many friends tried to contact Cooke, his phone wouldn’t accept any more calls.

It’s a far different story than all the marches by protesters that has been occurring in the nation where many have complained that cops treat African Americans differently than they do white people.

All Cooke could say was that he couldn’t thank the Sheriff’s Office enough for the jobs they do.

And for Sgt. Karlsen, it was probably the first time ever that he got a big hug for doing his job.