Nov. 3—Elkhart police are investigating a series of cases involving suspects cashing fraudulent payroll checks.
Police said a couple instances were reported where large groups of men went into check cashing businesses, and used fake IDs to cash payroll checks of varying amounts. The checks appeared to come from a recreational vehicle company, police said in a news release.
Yet the checks bounced, and the businesses were notified the checks had been fraudulent, the release shows.
Part of the investigation involves whether the incidents were connected. In the meantime, police warn local business and services that cash checks to watch out for large groups of people cashing checks together at once, particularly from RV companies. They also warn to watch for suspicious IDs or those that can't be verified, as well as being cautious of cashing large checks, according to the release.
ARRESTS
—Daniel Rodriguez, 31, 734 W. Blaine Ave., Elkhart, was jailed on a charge of possession of a synthetic substance, as well as for probation violations, after he was remanded into Elkhart County police custody during a Superior Court 4 hearing at the Elkhart County Courthouse in downtown Goshen around 2:40 p.m. In a report, police said the substance was found on Rodriguez after he was taken into custody.
—Ryan Carbone, 36, 1605 Westmoor Parkway, Goshen, was arrested by Goshen police and jailed on a charge of resisting law enforcement, as well as on two warrants, after police went to his home around 10:40 a.m. Monday.
—Sherri Lee, 52, Pearl River, Louisiana, and Jared Bourque, 27, Slidell, Louisiana, were arrested by Goshen police following a traffic stop at Rogers Park, 102 Chicago Ave., around 1:45 a.m. Monday. Lee was jailed on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a handgun without a license. Bourque was jailed on charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
FAILURE TO RETURN VEHICLE
—Rolando Torres-Castro, Goshen, reported to Goshen police Monday he let a person use his vehicle, and they failed to return it at an agreed date and time.
—David Dervin, Goshen, reported to Goshen police Monday he let a person borrow his car, and they failed to return it at an agreed day and time.
HIT-AND-RUNS
—Goshen police responded to a crash in the 2700 block of South Main Street around 2:50 p.m. Monday, and the driver of one of the vehicle had left the scene, a report shows.
—Goshen police responded to a hit-and-run crash at Bashor and Reliance roads around 2:20 p.m. Monday. The drivers of both vehicles had left the scene, police said in a report.