Bangor police seek suspect in stolen checks case

A woman who has eluded police allegedly made off with $2,875.85 in funds by passing stolen checks at a Bangor bank last month, according to Bangor police Officer Shawn Green.

On Thursday, Green received a package of canceled checks from United Kingfield Bank, containing five forged payroll checks, for a total value of $3,125.85, stolen from Paul Bunyan Lumber in Holden.

Four of the checks were written to a Jessica Payne, 23, no known address, and the fifth was written to Anthony “Tony” Allen. Green discovered the two people also were suspects in a theft reported to Deputy James Ellis on Feb. 20, by Maurice Cyr, the owner of the checks.

One suspect, Allen, reportedly had cashed a check for $250. The four checks written to Payne all were endorsed in her name and had a Maine license number written under the endorsement, according to a police report.

Green checked the Maine license number with the Department of Motor Vehicles and found it to belong to Payne. The woman had managed to cash checks for the amounts of $648.27 for “lumber”; $807.55 for “lumber”; $659.76 for “materials”; and $760.27 for materials, shingles. The checks were written in mid-February, according to Green.

Cyr reportedly had gone to United Kingfield Bank on Feb. 20 to file a “theft complaint” with the bank. At that time, Cyr completed a notarized forged signature affidavit for each check. The original copies of these documents were provided to Green to be entered into evidence.

One of the bank’s tellers provided a “teller statement” saying that she cashed one of the checks, and also that she checked Payne’s ID photo and found it to match the person passing the check.

Green’s investigation reportedly will include collecting statements from the bank’s other tellers who were involved in cashing the forged checks. Green currently is attempting to locate Payne, who has not been charged. The potential charges are four counts of forgery and theft, and one count of receiving stolen property.

Two automobiles parked within Bangor’s city limits fared badly this week. A Jeep Wrangler was vandalized while parked in front of the YMCA on Hammond Street. The owner, who lives in West Rockport, reported to Bangor police that between 9 and 11 a.m. Thursday, the fabric top of her vehicle was cut with a sharp instrument. Her insurance company told her that she needed to return a police report with her claim. She provided an estimate for Officer Shawn Green to see, which stated that repairs would cost $198. There were no suspects.

A resident of Walter Street in Bangor reported that his car had been burglarized sometime between March 13 and 15.

He was missing a wallet containing his ID and two credit cards, a jacket and a video game. The car was left unlocked during that time. The victim reportedly canceled the two credit cards. There were no suspects, according to a report made by Officer Tyler Leighton.

– Compiled by NEWS staffer Alixandra Williams