A Shreveport bookkeeper was arrested today for stealing nearly a half million dollars from her employer, said Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator.

Laurie Johnson, 55, was an employee of the Greater Shreveport Bossier Auto Auction when she began stealing deposits from money the business took in on auction days. She used her position as bookkeeper to manipulate the company's accounting software to conceal her thefts. She also is accused of helping conceal thefts by another employee.

Johnson is accused of stealing $459,540 between 2011 and 2017. The thefts were discovered during an audit by a new company accountant, according to Caddo Sheriff’s Detective Doug Smith, who investigated the case for the Caddo-Shreveport Financial Crimes Task Force.

Johnson was booked into the Caddo Correctional Center for theft.