OCEAN CITY — Less than a year after opening, the future of a Berlin business is unclear this week due to a criminal investigation into the owner stealing meat from an Ocean City grocery store as well as failure to pay rent.
The Berlin Butcher Shop, which opened last September on William Street, is owned by Lisa Hall, a former Berlin council member and mayoral candidate.
Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) Public Information Officer Lindsay Richard confirmed Thursday a theft investigation was initiated on Saturday, Aug. 19. Employees at the Acme store on 94th Street informed police at approximately 1:38 p.m. a female suspect ordered a substantial amount of meat and did not pay for it on two consecutive days.
In recent months, Hall has been buying cases of various meat products from the Acme store and then selling it retail at her Berlin shop, which violates numerous health code rules that govern food-selling operations.
“Officers also discovered that the suspect placed another large order at another store and failed to pay. Officers learned that the total approximate value of the meat order that were not paid for at the time of the investigation was $3,000. At this time, the investigation is still open and charges have not been filed, however, are likely pending,” Richard said.
A call to the store was unanswered Thursday morning and there was no way to leave a voice mail. A visit to the store Thursday morning showed the business was closed.
Earlier in the week, a locksmith was at the business changing the locks due to failure to pay rent to the landlord.
Possible charges Hall could be facing include theft, greater than $1,000, which is a felony and carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
