Suffolk County police arrested a Brooklyn woman Thursday after investigators said she forged and deposited 15 checks totaling more than $11,000 from Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices in Melville.
Leeanna Luke, 25, was arrested Aug. 13 in connection with the alleged theft from the business at 1 Schwab Road, police said.
The investigation began after the owner of Ralph’s noticed multiple unauthorized transactions involving checks made payable to a former employee.
Financial Crime Unit detectives determined Luke forged and deposited 15 checks into her personal bank account, according to police. The checks totaled $11,828.13.
Luke, of East 103rd Street in Brooklyn, was charged with first-degree identity theft, third-degree grand larceny and second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument.
She was scheduled to be arraigned Thursday at First District Court in Central Islip.
The charges are accusations, and Luke is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Anyone with information about a crime can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-220-TIPS, through the P3 Tips app or at P3Tips.com.
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