BELLE — Mayor James (Pudd) Mitchell clarified during a Dec. 17 interview that money involved in a reported theft at Belle City Hall on Nov. 21 did not belong to the city and did not involve municipal or taxpayer funds.

According to Mitchell, a woman entered City Hall to pay her water bill and, after completing the transaction, inadvertently left a bank envelope containing cash on the counter before exiting the building. Mitchell said another woman entered the lobby shortly afterward and was captured on surveillance video picking up the envelope while standing at the counter.

When the original owner later realized the money was missing, City Hall staff reviewed lobby camera footage, which confirmed what had occurred. Mitchell said the money was recovered in full by City Marshal Jerry Coborn and returned to its rightful owner.

Mitchell emphasized that no municipal accounts, utility payments or taxpayer funds were affected by the incident.

Coborn said City Hall contacted him after staff became aware of the situation.

“City Hall had called me concerning a lady who had come in with an envelope full of money,” Coborn said. “There was still $280 left in the envelope, and it was on the counter.”

Coborn said surveillance video showed another woman entering City Hall, paying her bill and taking the envelope before leaving the building.

“The other girl come in, seen it laying there, paid her bill, and grabbed that envelope, walked out the front door with it,” Coborn said. “We watched the video. We knew who it was, so I went over and made contact with her.”

Coborn said he confronted the woman and demanded the return of the money.

“I said, ‘You need to get the money back,’” Coborn said. “She goes, ‘Oh, I found it.’ I said, ‘No, you didn’t.’ The only reason you’re even giving it back is because I’m standing at your front door.”

Coborn said the woman returned the exact amount that had been taken, and he personally returned it to the owner.

“She gave me the exact amount back,” Coborn said. “I took it to the owner of the money.”

Coborn said he will issue a citation related to the incident, which will be handled through municipal court at a later date.