A couple charged for allegedly passing more than 40 bad cheques --including some in Olds – have now been arrested.
Police say the cheques were written for goods worth more than $33,000.
Virginia Josephine Wallis, 38, and Daryl George Wallis, 40, of Leduc County were scheduled to appear in Leduc provincial court on Thursday, Feb. 4.
The investigation began after Vegreville police received complaints in December about three cheques written in businesses in that community.
Police believe the two were responsible for 23 similar occurrences across Central Alberta and as far as St. Paul since last October.
“The pair would enter retail stores and purchase $200 to $700 worth of merchandise and then write cheques from accounts with insufficient funds,” an RCMP news release says.
“As a result of these arrests and the couple being identified, more reports are coming to various police agencies across the province,” the release adds.
“This is occurring as cheques are being returned to numerous businesses across Alberta as there are insufficient funds in the account on which they were written. It is expected that the number of offences reported and the total dollar amount of the fraudulent transactions will continue to grow.”
Earlier, police issued a description of the couple and the vehicle they were believed to be driving. They have expressed thanks to the public for information provided in regard to the crimes.
“RCMP would also like to remind businesses across the province to take the appropriate precautions to ensure they are protected from being victimized in similar offences in the future,” the news release says.
“If you have any further questions on how to protect your business or yourself from this and other types of fraud contact your local police agency.”
"The pair would enter retail stores and purchase $200 to $700 worth of merchandise and then write cheques from accounts with insufficient funds."RCMP
