Medieval Times Auditor, and $100,000, Vanish

After the last villainous knight had been defeated late Sunday, and the army of serfs and wenches had served the final drinks, the night auditor at Medieval Times in Buena Park went to work counting the night’s receipts, police said.

Co-workers saw auditor Joseph Patrick Cairns arrive at the theme restaurant, as they had for almost 2 years. But this time, police said, they don’t know when the 57-year-old man left--or where he went. Neither his wife nor his employers say they know what happened to Cairns--or to the $100,000 that he had been left alone to tally.

Cairns is now being sought by Buena Park police and a warrant has been issued for his arrest charging him with grand theft.

“We need help locating him,” Buena Park Police Detective David Woofter said.

Public relations manager Mary Anne Powell said the missing money is the accumulation of 3 nights of receipts for the dinner theater, which recreates 11th-Century France and Spain with jousting knights and royalty.

Woofter and Powell said Cairns was the only person with access to the money at night after the restaurant was closed. It was discovered missing Monday morning, when other employees found revenue envelopes had been stuffed with blank paper, police said.

Since the incident, Powell said the restaurant has changed its procedure, and now makes certain that more than one person is in charge of receipts at all times.

Cairns was last seen by an employee at about 3:30 a.m., Woofter said, and his wife said he had not returned home since he left for work Sunday night. Police said they found no evidence of foul play.

Investigators say Cairns, believed to be an avid gambler, may be in the Las Vegas area, because that is where he had gone at least once when his wife reported him as a missing person.

“In the past, on at least two occasions that we’re aware of, he vanished for 2 to 3 weeks,” Woofter said. “This was prior to his employment at Medieval Times. . . . On at least one of those occasions, he was located in Vegas.”

Woofter said a photograph of Cairns will be forwarded to Las Vegas authorities, and investigators here are seeking help from anyone who may have seen him.

Powell said they were not aware, until after his disappearance, that he apparently has an interest in gambling.

“He’s been an exemplary employee as far as I know,” she said.

He may be driving his light blue 1971 Volkswagen Beetle, with California license plates 837 YYI, Woofter said.

Anyone with information about the case was asked to call Detective Woofter during business hours or a dispatcher in the evenings at (714) 521-9352.