Boca Raton Retail Employee Stole $11K in Return Scam, Police Allege

Jessica Kaess (Photo: Palm Beach County Jail)

The 33-year-old manager of a retail housewares business in Boca Raton has been charged with stealing more than $11,000 from her employer through a “return scam,” according to court filings this week.

Jessica Kaess, 33, of Parkland, was taken into custody Jan. 28, 2026 after she allegedly stole the funds based on her position at The Container Store on Glades Road. According to court documents, the alleged thefts took place between Sept. 16, 2025 and Jan. 27, 2026. A loss prevention officer for the company told Boca Raton police that Kaess processed numerous fraudulent merchandise returns and refunded herself a total of $11,198 across 11 separate debit cards in her name.

The loss prevention officer said Kaess allegedly processed her own returns, which were captured on video surveillance footage, when no other employees were present at the register. Police were still in the process of obtaining the video footage, the charging documents stated. A store manager who was interviewed police alleged that Kaess admitted to the scam when confronted, providing police with numerous receipts and what was described as a “written confession” which was placed into evidence.

Kaess would later confess to police after being read her Miranda warnings, the report said. She was charged with grand larceny and fraud, and was released from custody after posting $10,000 bond.