Jacob Grimm

WARSAW — A Warsaw man has been arrested after writing eight checks totaling $2,870 from a stolen checkbook.

Jacob Bryce Grimm, 25, 548 Clinic Court, Warsaw, is being charged with count I fraud on a financial institution, a level 5 felony, and count II forgery, a level 6 felony.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, on Sept. 19, a Warsaw Police Officer met with a Mutual Bank employee. The employee advised Mutual Bank received 12 checks on a male’s Lake City bank checking account written between Aug. 16 and Sept. 8, to Grimm and three other individuals. She explained the male was a victim of forgery and explained twelve checks totaling $4,470 had been written from his account. It was discovered later the checkbook had been stolen.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, the officer spoke with the Mutual Bank employee who advised on Sept. 19, an individual came to Mutual Bank and opened a checking account by depositing $10 in cash. Later in the day, that individual went to the drive-up window at a different Mutual Bank branch and attempted to cash a check to pay himself $450.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, the employee thought she recognized that the check may have been fraudulent and requested the male come inside to discuss his account. the male advised he had received a check from the owner of the check for his services. She told him that they had received information that the victim’s checks had been stolen.

Throughout the month of September, a second individual cashed checks in the amounts of $300, $450 and $400 from the stolen checkbook.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Grimm cashed eight checks from the stolen checkbook. During the month of August, Grimm cashed checks four checks for $400, $360, $300 and one for $250.

A fourth individual cashed a check for $450 from the stolen checkbook.

The owner of the checkbook claimed his entire checkbook had been stolen from inside his residence. He stated he did not write or author anyone to write checks to Grimm and the other three individuals.

The owner of the checkbook advised his neighbor Grimm had been at his residence trying to borrow money.

An officer spoke with Grimm who admitted he had cashed checks from the stolen checkbook. He advised he had been in contact with Mutual Bank to pay the money back. He stated, “This thing went way too far,” concerning the checks.

Grimm admitted he had cashed checks from the stolen checkbook but did not know exactly how many checks he had cashed. He stated all the subjects involved were going to state paying money back to Mutual Bank.

Jacob Bryce Grimm was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail on Tuesday, Nov. 15, on a bond of $6,500 surety and cash.