Plympton Athletic Youth Sports (PAYS) experienced a heartbreaking theft of $44,150 in an elaborate check-forging scheme discovered in August.. PAYS oversees the baseball/softball, basketball, and soccer programs for Plympton.
PAYS president Scott Devonshire, in comments earlier this week, praised treasurer Lindsay Platz for identifying the theft and working diligently with both the Plympton Police and Santander Bank to aid in the funds’ recovery for PAYS.
The theft was first reported on August 23, 2023.
Plympton Police Officer Kevin Brower, who had been newly appointed Detective, took the lead on the investigation. Through his investigation, in conjunction with other officers in the Department, suspects were identified. The investigation included warrants, video surveillance, and the assistance of agencies from the State of Georgia.
The suspects include both a female and male from the Atlanta, GA area. They are being charged with two felonies including larceny of a check over $1,200 and forgery by check.
According to the Plympton Police Department, forging checks can be done in various manners, many of which do not require the person committing the act to be present in the town where the crime is committed. Methods can include duplicating checks via the Internet and faking signatures and credentials through various electronic means.
Check fraud is on the rise across the country and the FBI estimates that loss around $18.7 billion annually. It is estimated that over 500 million checks are forged each year in the United States.