Parking meter coin thief is sentenced to jail

A former St. Paul city employee who admitted stealing more than $34,000 worth of coins from parking meters was sentenced Friday to 90 days in jail and 10 years of probation.

Vincent Schettner, 63, also must pay restitution between $25,000 and $62,000, with the final amount to be determined by probation officials.

Ramsey County District Judge Michael Fetsch ordered Schettner to begin serving his time May 16.

Schettner pleaded guilty in March to one count of felony theft of public funds. Authorities were tipped to the thefts in September when a teller at the City & County Credit Union in downtown St. Paul told an off-duty police officer that a customer -- Schettner -- was regularly depositing large amounts of coins, according to the criminal complaint.

Schettner's bank records confirmed that he was depositing $1,000 to $1,500 each week and usually took $800 to $900 cash back, the complaint said. It said Schettner was believed to have stolen $34,200 from December 2006 to August 2007.

PAT PHEIFER