Plymouth Community Member Calls for Accountability Following 11-Year School Food Theft Scandal
PLYMOUTH - April 27, 2026 - The Plymouth School Committee faced a stark call for oversight on April 27 as a local resident detailed a “brazen” 11-year theft scheme involving school food and equipment, even as the district celebrated a landslide victory for its budget at Town Meeting. The meeting balanced the fallout of past administrative failures with a forward-looking agenda focused on student engagement, capital improvements, and a significant shift in the municipal election calendar.
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The evening’s public comment period was dominated by testimony from Richard Serkey, a Town Meeting member from Precinct 2, who addressed the committee regarding a recent report on the thefts committed by Patrick Van Cott over more than a decade. [01:03:45] Serkey described a systematic plunder of school resources, alleging that Van Cott stole thousands of dollars in deli meats, snacks, and commercial-grade kitchen equipment—including refrigerators and freezers—to stock a private business on Cape Cod. [01:04:13]
