Former plumber for Hoover schools charged with theft from school system

Authorities today charged a former plumber for the Hoover school system with theft, saying he used school system accounts to buy more than $37,000 worth of copper pipe that was never used for any school projects.

Hoover police arrested 45-year-old Stephen Todd Huddleston of Calera today at a business in Pelham and took him to the Hoover jail, according to a news release from police. He was to be transferred to the Shelby County Jail later today, with bond set at $30,000.

Police said the copper pipe purchases were made between November 2014 and March 2016. Huddleston resigned from his job with Hoover City Schools effective March 7, 2016, citing personal reasons, school system records show.

Hoover schools Superintendent Kathy Murphy, in a news release, said the school district takes allegations and suspicion of wrongdoing seriously.

“The school district fairly and impartially investigates allegations of wrongdoing and refers matters, as would be appropriate, to our local law enforcement,” Murphy said. “We appreciate the work of the Hoover Police Department as it relates to this matter. We will continue to cooperate with authorities as this case works its way through the appropriate legal and judicial channels.”