Fire Chief Accused of Stealing $1M | Cleveland News

A former fire official in Hambden is facing serious charges after allegedly stealing over a million dollars from the volunteer fire department between early 2023 and mid-2026, using the cash to cover gambling debts. He reportedly forged signatures on checks and falsified QuickBooks records to conceal the theft, leaving the department with just $4,000 instead of over $800,000 — severely impacting payroll and operations. While federal grant funds were untouched, other department funds were decimated. Authorities believe he acted alone but are thoroughly investigating. Vandevander has cooperated with investigators and an arrest warrant is active; he’ll face arraignment once taken into custody. The fire department has publicly thanked prosecutors for their work, as the community grapples with the betrayal of someone entrusted with their safety. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/bbddab2fb06993d6