Short (but costly) crime spree detected
By Debbie Lowe Staff writer

Sterrett

Due to quick thinking and some fast action on the parts of the Carroll County Clerk Laura Sterrett and First Financial Bank in Delphi, a short but costly crime spree was detected last week.

According to Sterrett, the bank notified her office of irregular activity in the child support and clerk accounts. Sterrett and her staff began checking all cashed and returned checks. It was found some of the returned checks were not written by the office but were cashed at various Walmarts in the Indianapolis area in late January.

After affirming no internal mistakes occurred on the part of the office or the bank, Sterrett said she knew the routing and account numbers for the two accounts had been stolen because the check numbers were not from the office accounts. Appropriate steps were immediately implemented by the bank to secure the clerk's funds and the sheriff's department was notified. An investigation was initiated immediately.

Sterrett told the Comet Monday the money was put back into the county's account.

Burns

"This cost the county nothing," she said.

Sheriff Tony Burns said the checks appeared to be drawn on the Hamilton County, Ohio Clerk of the Circuit and Superior Courts account to individuals with Florida addresses. He said about 15 checks for approximately $13,000 were cashed.

"It looks like Walmart will be out the money," he said.

Burns said the Walmart Corporation is cooperating in the investigation. The sheriff's department will review videos of check cashers at the stores in an attempt to identify suspects.

"I thought the clerk's office caught this very fast and reported it in a timely manner," Burns said. "In any investigation, the colder the evidence, the harder the crime is to solve."

Burns encouraged anyone with information about the theft or the cashing of the checks to contact him at (765) 564-2413.