Monty and Hadley Gerrish thought they kept a close eye on their finances while running Milton Point Provisions.
That’s before they started noticing more than $4,000 in bizarre October purchases through the company’s own Amazon account — everything from Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and gift cards to women’s clothing and cleaning products, according to police.
The owners soon learned that a former employee, Susan Marie Siciliano, was allegedly ordering the transactions and having them delivered to her home in Mamaroneck. Not only were the alleged purchases sent to her home address, the Gerrishes could clearly see her name listed as the recipient.
Monty Gerrish, 42, surprised by the sinister turn of events, told The Record that Siciliano, 37, had been a good employee during her year-long tenure with the casual local eatery.
She had managed the restaurant and market, prior to being fired in January for failing to follow the employee handbook. Gerrish wouldn’t offer any additional details about why Siciliano was let go.
“It’s usually just myself and the manager [who have access to the restaurant’s Amazon Business account],” he said. “[Siciliano] was good at her job and bought a lot of stuff for us, and then my wife kept her account going because we needed to not only track stuff we were buying but also account for it.”
Additionally, keeping Siciliano’s access to the account open made it easier for the Gerrishes to repurchase restaurant supplies they buy regularly.
Monty Gerrish, said he’s happy with his current staff, but assured that nothing about running the restaurant has come easy — the ordeal has been another bump in the road for the neighborhood small business.
After an extensive two-year remodel of the building, formerly the home of Dock Deli, Milton Point Provisions got its health permit in early 2020 just as New Rochelle became ground zero for COVID-19, halting business operations there and eventually across the state.
Photo Alison Rodilosso
“We were open for about 20 minutes and then closed until June [2020]. It was hard to really open and show people what we could do because of the restrictions of COVID,” Gerrish said.
Nevertheless, the restaurant — which offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner Monday through Saturday — celebrated its fifth anniversary this June.
“My whole idea was to have a neighborhood restaurant where you could come get a drink and just walk home instead of driving into town and driving home,” he said.
A fourth-generation Rye resident, Gerrish had wanted to open a restaurant since childhood. Visiting Dock Deli, which used to occupy the space is a fond memory for him, he said.
“In Rye Middle School, I actually was a restaurant manager for the ‘Create a Career’ class,” he laughed.
His wife’s background is in finance, which she now applies toward balancing the books at Milton Point Provisions.
Siciliano, meanwhile, appeared in Rye City Court on Dec. 23, when Judge Valerie Livingston issued a temporary order of protection. She has pleaded not guilty to grand larceny, a felony, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years.
Joseph Kelso, Siciliano’s attorney, did not respond to The Record’s request for comment.
She is due back in court on Jan. 20. Until then, Siciliano remains in Westchester jail in Valhalla.
How and when the stolen money is recovered will be decided by the Westchester County district attorney, Rye Police Lt. Michael Anfuso said.
