Woman used fake check to steal thousands from Newark bank, police say

NEWARK, Ohio (WCMH) -- Newark police are looking for a woman after she used a fake check to withdraw thousands of dollars from a local bank.

Licking County Crime Stoppers announced Thursday it will offer a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of a woman captured by security cameras. The photos taken Dec. 8, 2022, showed the suspect walking into Newark's Community Bank off of North 21st Street.

The woman showed a fake passport to tellers before depositing a fraudulent check for $4,700 into a local business's account with the bank, according to Newark police. After making the deposit, she immediately withdrew $6,000 from the same account and left.

Licking County Crime Stoppers asked anyone with information on the incident to leave an anonymous tip by calling 740-349-6888. A code system on the agency's phone system allows the caller to stay private while also being able to claim the monetary reward if their tip leads to an arrest.