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Police Investigate Series Of Auction Thefts

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) – Police are investigating multiple reports of a woman who has stolen thousands of dollars from several auction houses in Northwest Arkansas...

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) – Police are investigating multiple reports of a woman who has stolen thousands of dollars from several auction houses in Northwest Arkansas.

Police say a woman allegedly walked into auctions in both Fayetteville and Springdale, bidding high on several items.

Police say the woman then collects her items after paying with fake checks.

“It is a big hit. I got to pay it,” said Donnie Guthery, owner of Guthery Auctions.

Donnie Guthery said his auction house was hit by a theft this past weekend, more than $4,100 in merchandise stolen.

“I know Springdale is working a similar incidence,” said Sgt. Craig Stout, Fayetteville Police PIO.

Springdale Police confirmed to 5NEWS that they are investigating a similar case with a different auction house.

“She had presented a check which turned out to be bogus,” Stout said.

Guthery says his bank ultimately noticed the check was fake.

“They said it was done on Office Depot paper, and on a computer program,” Guthery said.

Guthery`s employee grew suspicious of the woman when she was at the auction.

Guthery said they asked to see her identification card.

However, that card seemed to only confirm that she was legitimate at the time.

“The driver`s license matched the [name on the] check” Guthery said.

The woman`s false identity was listed on both her I.D. and checkbook as “Jade Ann Wilson” of Missouri.

Police said they are still investigating whether or not the thefts in Fayetteville and Springdale were related.

However, police said the commonality of the separate crimes is noticeable.

“The similarities are very striking,” Stout said.

Police say fraudulent checks are hard to spot.

“To the untrained eye, it can be very difficult,” Stout said.

If the woman is caught, police say she will be charged with a felony.

Meanwhile, Donnie Guthery is left out of money, and said he doesn`t know what to do in the future to prevent this.

“What are you going to do? Say, ‘We are not going to take checks anymore’?”

Donnie Guthery told 5news that a woman using the same identity was arrested in Santa Fe, NM last year for the same crime.

However, Guthery does not believe it is the same woman that stole from him.

 

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