Where is the brotherhood, man? With a number of friends and family members who are firefighters I have been taught the brotherhood of firefighters. These guys live and work together, often in life-threatening situations. You don’t steal from your brothers (or sisters).

In California, a veteran firefighter-paramedic has been charged with two misdemeanor counts of petty theft and commercial burglary after police say they caught him stealing cash from his captain's wallet at their Irvine fire station. As reported in www.ocregister.com.

The thief, 50-year-old Gregory Mark Konishi, a Rancho Santa Margarita resident, has worked for Orange County Fire Authority for 25 years.

Irvine police detectives conducted surveillance in the case after fire Capt. Mark Ledford reported an "ongoing issue" of someone taking small amounts of cash from his wallet over 12 to 18 months. The incidents occurred when his wallet was in the closet in a private bedroom while he exercised.

Caught on Camera

Konishi was video-recorded taking a police-provided $20 bill from Ledford's wallet on two occasions. In one video, Konishi is seen carrying the wallet out of the room and returning it about nine minutes later.

His thievery has cost Konishi his job! Konishi’s cash compensation ranges from $70,760 to $95,139 a year depending on factors such as overtime. That doesn't include benefits. He retired rather than have to face his fellow brothers. What a moron!

I hope in his retirement he gets a good California theft class and makes an effort to help others who suffer from like issues.