Crime & Safety
Woman Stole $11K From Melville Ralph’s Italian Ices: Police
Investigators say the former employee forged 15 checks and deposited them into her personal bank account.
MELVILLE, NY — A Brooklyn woman was arrested Thursday after police said she stole more than $11,000 from her employer by forging checks and depositing them into her personal bank account.
Leeanna Luke, 25, was arrested at about 7:15 a.m. Thursday in connection with the theft from Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices, located at 1 Schwab Road in Melville, Suffolk County police said.
The owner of the business discovered multiple unauthorized transactions on his bank account involving checks made payable to a former employee, police said.
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An investigation by Suffolk County Police Financial Crime Unit detectives determined Luke forged and deposited 15 checks into her personal account totaling $11,828.13, according to police.
Luke was charged with first-degree identity theft, third-degree grand larceny and second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument.
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She was scheduled to be arraigned Thursday at First District Court in Central Islip.
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