NEW BRIGHTON, Pa. — Police say a routine check scheme has led to thousands of dollars being lost.
“That’s kind of crazy. I can’t believe that. That’s a lot of money,” a New Brighton local told Channel 11.
Most people in New Brighton had that same reaction when we told them about the recent arrest of Michael Brooks.
Brooks is accused of running a fraudulent check scheme and getting people to cash the checks at the Fischer’s New Brighton Foodland.
For most of the summer, New Brighton police say Brooks would drive someone to the grocery store, or meet them in the parking lot, hand them a fraudulent check to cash inside and give them a cut of the money.
Police found out about the scheme after the store’s loss prevention officer reached out to them, and told officers that since the beginning of June, 15 fraudulent checks were cashed. While 15 others were turned away, Fischer’s lost $14,000.
The scheme came to an end yesterday when police responded to the store after they say Brooks and others were trying to cash another fraudulent check.
Police arrested him a few minutes away from the store, and when they questioned him, officers say he admitted to taking people to Foodland and said he was making money by doing so.
Brooks was taken to jail but was released on bond on Thursday.
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