NELSON COUNTY, Ky. — According to a Facebook post from the Nelson County Sheriff's Office, an arrest warrant has been issued for a suspect accused of stealing and forging checks. The story about the crime was featured on WHAS11's Crime Stoppers Wednesday.
A couple's car was broken into in March and a checkbook was stolen. The suspect was caught on two different bank security cameras, cashing several forged checks totaling more than $12,000.
Nelson Co. Sheriff's Office says after the story ran on the Night Team Wednesday, they were notified that the suspect could be identified as 35-year-old Lea Sweets, of Louisville.
"We have a name with a face now and she's going to pay for the crimes that she did commit," said Detective Philip Dean with the Nelson County Sheriff's Department.
Police issued an arrest warrant for First Degree Forgery, Second Degree Possession of Forged Instrument, Theft by Unlawful Taking and Receiving Stolen Property. All of the charges listed are three counts each.
Det. Dean said that right after the Crime Stoppers report on WHAS 11, another law agency called Nelson County. They had arrested Sweets for something similar about a week before our story aired. We aren't naming the agency to protect the integrity of the investigation.
"She was traffic stopped and arrested for having stolen checks and stolen identification cards within her vehicle," Dean explained. She was already released from that agency's custody.
Detective Dean believes she's likely linked to several, similar crimes happening in neighboring counties.
In our original report, we questioned one of the names used on some of the forged checks.
The investigation revealed it's the name of another victim, in another county, who also had her car broken into around the same time as the victim from Bardstown.
Detective Dean still isn't sure if Sweets is the one breaking into the cars, and suggests there could be more people involved. H does allege that she is the one cashing the bad checks.
The sheriff's department said Sweet is not in custody at this time and asks anyone with information with her whereabouts to contact law enforcement.
If you have a tip, call the Crime Stoppers 24/7 phone line at 582-CLUE
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