Larsen charged with selling Hutchings Museum property

Daniela Larsen, the former Executive Director of The Hutchings Museum Institute in downtown Lehi, was arrested on May 20 for theft. 

On Tuesday, Larsen was charged in Utah County Fourth Judicial District Court on charges relating to stealing property which belonged to the museum. 

According to court documents obtained by the Lehi Free Press, “Sometime between 2020 and 2022, Larsen had moved furniture and other items belonging to the museum out of the old train museum to create office space for herself.”

“A witness identified four benches and a refrigerator valued at approximately $2,500, that belonged to the museum and had been stored in the train depot at a consignment store in Lehi,” continued the court record.

According to the court record a Lehi Police Department detective “contacted the store manager, who confirmed that Defendant had worked out a deal with her to trade items. Defendant did not have permission to trade or otherwise dispose of any museum property,” concluded the criminal complaint. 

Larsen is being charged with a third-degree felony which may result in a prison sentence of up to five years and/or a $5,000 fine, although Utah law has no minimum sentence.

The former museum director was terminated in late 2023, and is currently under investigation for additional theft charges.

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