Former school official accused of stealing

A former Levittown schools employee was arrested Tuesday after using more than $3,500 in district funds to buy camera equipment for a female friend, Nassau police said.

Ronald E. Kister, 37, of Sayville, was the Levittown school district's computer and media services director when he had an employee order a camera, lens and bag in June, police said. He told the employee that the items were for a school district colleague, police said.

When the order arrived in September, Kister took the equipment out of the building, police said, and a short time later, he quit his district job.

The equipment was not missed until early last month, when another employee inquired about it, police said.

Investigators learned Kister had presented the equipment as a gift to a friend and they recovered the items, police said.

Kister, of 43 Brook St., was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny and official misconduct. He was released with an appearance ticket and given a Dec. 7 date to appear at the First District Court in Hempstead.