On May 24th, 2025, officers responded to Citizens Bank after a woman was attempting to cash a fake check using a stolen identity. When I pulled up, a short black male in a black hoodie kind of gave me a funny look and he walked around the back of the building. I don't know if he's related to her yet. I'll let you know. 12 being around for that area. >> Hello. >> Hi. What's going on? >> Do you want to come over to my office? >> Well, I I don't know that I can do that just yet. Uh I don't want people leaving that might not I I I got another officer coming. What are you able to step over here and tell me anything? Yeah, I know. >> Basically, we got a check and we don't think it's a legitimate check. Okay. >> Trying to cash it on an account. We're trying to confirm it with the people that the account was supposed to be for. >> Okay. Do you know anything about what's going on, ma'am? >> No. >> Okay. Come here for a second for me, please. Oh, no. No, no. Hey, >> we No. Exactly. Where you going? Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. >> What? >> No. No. Come on back in here. We're We're going to investigate that. No. No. No. >> Okay. You can let me go. >> Okay. Well, then you're going to come back in here. >> All right. You can let me go. Don't touch me. No. No. No. >> Why are you touching me like this? >> Get off of me. Why are you touching me? >> Hold on. >> All right. BUT YOU DON'T HAVE NO RIGHT TO LOCK ME UP. >> Do not touch me. >> Do not resist. >> What are you doing? >> Why are you touching me? Why are you touching me? >> The bank manager say that she's cashing a fake check. She's trying to She's trying to take What the hell? We're We're going to We're going to You're going to be detained. >> Detain and we'll figure this out. >> You can set your phone down if you want. >> Okay. Can I call? >> Not just Not just right now. You're being detained. >> All right. No, don't tell. >> You You are not telling us what to do. >> Okay. >> So, if you want, you can step back in here. You can We can stay out here with you, whatever. But >> Okay. >> Were you with a guy? >> Huh? >> Were you with a man in here, too? >> No, I was by myself. >> Okay. What are you joking about? >> I'm You're the one that's tripping. >> No, cuz you locking me up for no reason. >> Who said you're locked up? I said you're detained. Come on inside. >> Is this your ID in here? >> No, that's not mine. >> Make sure these are double locked so they don't close on you. >> This isn't you? It looks like you. >> Then who is this? Who is that then? Who is that? >> Ma, you locking me up so I don't know what's going on. >> So if you if you're just not going to say anything, that's fine. Don't say anything. But >> all right. Can I just make a phone call, please? >> Absolutely not. >> Why? >> Maybe later. You're not cooperating with me. Eric, stay here with her thing under her property. Can I make a phone call, please? >> Not right now. No. >> Okay. >> Well, that's a clue when she tries to run away, huh? Are >> any of these vehicles yours? Did you come here in a car? >> No. >> Okay. How'd you get here? >> Can I use my phone, please? >> No. >> Why? >> Just stand over here away from the dark cuz people are going to be walking in. Okay. >> Well, you already got me locked up right here, so just start right now. 100 is with me. I want another one. >> Put her in there. I don't want her trying to resist and going. I got to talk to them, but I'm going to wait. I'm going to wait until I get another officer up here. >> I think that's the best thing right now. Yeah. >> Do you have any ID on you? >> No. You got No. >> Oh, you mean I got your ID? The one that's in your phone is not you. It looks just like you. >> No, that's not me. Okay. I'm going to be inside here with 100. He's going to have the email in his car. >> Are you talking about the guy you saw? Did he get in a car? >> He walked around the corner. I >> I when I first pulled in, I drove in the back. I didn't see him. >> He gave me the shittiest stink eye ever walking out. >> Can I please make a phone call? >> No, ma'am. >> How you doing, sir? >> Not much, man. for you. What can I do for you? >> Well, you were following me out of here. So, I'm a police officer in Cleveland Heights. So, I know to steal. Okay. >> You followed me for a reason. You ran my What did I do? >> No, no, no. You somebody We had an issue up here at the bank right now. So, you have your Do you have your ID with you? This Cleveland Heights police officer? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Take a look at it. >> You had an issue with me? >> Well, I don't know. We had a suspicion potentially that maybe you were involved with the problem we have in dealing with the bank right now. That's all. >> Bro, I went in there and did business in there. There's my receipt. >> Okay. Do you have your uh >> Yeah, I'm not too sure. >> Police ID. >> There's my badge. >> Can I see that real quick? I was a third responding officer up here. One of our responding officers said anything to me, but I know I know the signal. I know you pulled up to my car when I was back there. >> Yep. >> Maybe because I parked my >> It was the timing of it, man. You >> parked my car back there and then I went to the back door to try to get in. >> We had an issue with some fraud going on in the bank. >> Oh, no. It wasn't me. As soon as one of our first officers responded, he saw you walking back and you guys made eye contact. It was just a hunch, man. That's all. >> Yeah. I mean, I'm >> You're an observant person. If you're a police officer, you're an observant person. >> If I actually knew the cop cuz I teach the police academy. >> Uh, probably not. He's like a 25. >> Yeah, I saw I saw I saw it. Look, I said he owns >> We're good. We're good. >> All right, man. I appreciate it. >> All right. Thanks, man. Be safe. >> I'm sorry. I'm a little bit. This is like, >> yeah, this is starting to happen a lot. I mean, it's been going on for years, but it's there's really been an uptick lately >> being that I have been in the banking industry for about three years now and I've been a teller for three years now. I'm a senior teller. Um, I knew that I knew, >> do you know what I mean? Something >> sure >> is terribly wrong, not right, and this this is this is not yours. >> She was on the phone and she kept being on the phone saying, "Oh, I really got to go to work. I'm calling my brother." and she just, you know, was fidgety and I I could just tell like something just wasn't right. >> What uh what's your name? >> Mel, >> how do you spell it? >> M O K. >> It seems to me that there's no there there's no question that she's trying to defraud the bank. >> Mhm. >> And she had no ID to try to cash this check. >> No, but she did have um she did have um a debit card with a PIN number that pulled up that pulled up a profile. >> I'll get that out of her property. You have a person named Mike Edwards that opened an account here within the last few days. >> Mhm. >> And this person's coming in saying she's my Edwards. >> Mhm. >> Trying to cash with a debit card. She swiped >> trying to cash a check that's written to her for $8,600. >> Mhm. >> Written on an account that is a real account with real routing, real account numbers within the normal sequence range to real customers. So basically, since it's a citizen's check coming to a citizen's account and she's had the account open, >> she can cash the check. We don't need to do the same like closing process where we request the money from the other bank and move it over. Since it's citizens to citizens, >> right, >> we would make we make those funds available. And that's how the scam works is that they essentially take the money >> and then by the time we find out it's not legit, they're already they've already >> they've already gotten the cash out the door. >> Thanks. >> Oh my god. Y exciting morning. >> Yeah, >> man. Why is it always on Saturday? >> Because they there's typically less employees working. There's typically less cops working. There's no courts open, which is not going to work in her favor now because nobody's going to see her here from her until Tuesday. It's always the worst time to ever get arrested is like late morning, early afternoon on Friday of a holiday weekend because the judge is all cut out early. If it's something they need to assign a bond, they'll get around to it come Tuesday sometime. Hey. Um, they're messing stuff up in the jail on me. Get a hold of South. Let's see if they can send that female officer back before she gets too far away. That inmate need she needs dressed in to the jail oranges. Hey, you didn't let her get into the bathroom yet, did you? God damn it. You know that thing just went down the toilet. >> I really just need a manager. It's not you. um >> I know he's dealing with him, but that's the reason why I'm here. >> Okay. >> When he gets back in, I'll let >> Okay. >> Or you want to talk now? >> Me? >> Yeah. >> Is there something I can help you with? >> Yeah. >> What's that? >> So, I just conducted business in here, right? >> I walk out of here and you guys pulled me over saying I match the description of a male committing fraud here. >> No. No. >> Makes no sense to me. >> That's That's not what was >> That's what I was told by your >> You were pulled over. Yeah. >> Okay. >> He ran he pulled up behind my vehicle in the back, ran my plate. >> Oh, could you confirm? >> I left, followed me almost to the beach with Mo and then turned around, hit a U-turn, and came back here. So, I came back. >> So, he So, he talked to you back here. He didn't pull you over. >> No, he did not. He talked to me out front. I was the guy. I'm the police officer, police who came back over and talked to you. None of that makes sense to me. >> Okay. Nobody said that you made eye contact with you and that's why I was stopped. >> That makes no sense at all. >> Sometimes things have to be looked into. >> And and nobody knew anything rookie police officer. >> Okay. Well, then I think you might understand what I was >> Well, then I then I don't understand what you don't understand because they looked at you. >> I Nobody Nobody told >> Nobody was told to stop anybody. Yeah. I mean, if if you have something you feel you want to make a complaint about, you can stop at our station and do that anytime. >> Okay. >> So, can you explain to me why I was stopped? >> You weren't Nobody told anybody to stop you. You were walking out at the exact time that I was walking in to investigate a fraud. >> Pulled up. He wasn't out of the car yet. He was still sitting in the car when I walked out. >> Either way, you were leaving right as I was arriving. Didn't know who all we had involved in this yet. So I asked him to try to locate you because you just left the bank as I was coming up to investigate this other thing >> to keep gave you a description >> to keep an eye because we didn't description. >> We didn't know how many people were involved. Okay. >> So that's what we do. We're responding to an active investigation. We're going to keep an eye on everything we can until we figure out what all we need. >> And I'm not sure what you don't understand about that. Nobody was targeting profiling anything like that. You happen to be leaving here at the exact time that somebody was trying to pass fraudulent checks. I'm I'm sorry if you think it doesn't make sense. It It makes perfect sense to me. >> No, nobody stopped you. Nobody Nobody detained you. Nobody arrested you. Anybody Anybody that's out in public, right? Anybody that's out in public, >> it's not smart talk. I'm just saying anybody that's out in public, we if we can speak to them. If they don't want to speak to us, they don't have to. You could have just walked away from it and never said anything. That would have been fine. He wouldn't have done anything else. So, so you're misunderstanding what took place. >> I'm telling you what your officer told. >> I know. And I'm saying you're misunderstanding exactly what took place. >> Description of a person committing fraud. >> No, that was never said. What was said was that a male exited right as I was walking up. Walked around the back. Not sure if you were involved with it. Here's the description. >> I told him the description of the person that left right as I was walking up, >> which is me. >> Correct. >> As you were sitting in the car. >> Right. I understand why you would I understand why this would this would not be a good experience for you. >> But tell me why you think so. >> Anybody that thinks that they're being accused of something they didn't do is not going to feel good about it. >> But you have to understand you were not accused of doing anything. >> You got to listen to that. >> So you the one that wants to stand here and talk with me professional. >> So you you got to listen to what I'm saying. We did not know how many people were involved. And if you've ever responded to cases of bank fraud, >> with with fraudulent checks. >> I've been a police officer for a minute, so I get all of this. >> So then you understand >> officer told me I matched the description of a person in this bank committing fraud. >> Okay, that was not accurate. >> He called it in. Yes or no? You just said that. >> I called it in. >> Right. Did you say I was >> Okay, >> I mentioned >> So you understand what I'm getting at here? >> Yes. And >> he just said he called it in. And I keep telling you the the officer was wrong. >> The officer said I match the description >> and he was wrong with saying that >> you're talking you're you're you're trying to sweet this under. [clears throat] You're not taking it seriously. >> I'm I'm I'm taking it completely seriously. >> No, you're not. Cuz if you was we could have handled this kind of more professional instead of talking about it out there. You wanted to do all of this in front of customers when I asked could we talk about it right off back. You're not handling things professionally as a police officer, as a sergeant. So, you obviously don't care about this situation. This don't sit well. >> Yeah. I looked at you cuz I was trying to see if I knew what knew you. >> Okay. >> So, you told him because I made eye contact with you to stop me. >> That's [snorts] what he told me. >> Okay. He is wrong in saying that. That is not what happened. And and I can only tell you that so many >> probable cause to stop somebody because of eye contact with you. >> Exactly. He was not told to stop. I will listen to any body camera that he had going on from that and listen to exactly how you want to take it further. I just asked him to come up here so we could talk to him. >> I can't. >> But I get that you're in the middle of doing this. I understand. >> And I can't bring him up here right now. >> I understand. >> And that's why that's why I suggested if if you want to make any kind of complaint, you can come to the station. We we can handle it all formally. >> I understand that. >> And and I'm I'm more than happy to do that. I >> just trying to reverse the roles. And I know it's kind of hard because we're different colors, but >> Well, see, I'm not I'm not making it about that. It has it has nothing to do with that. Nothing at all. just just try to understand how I feel. >> The fact is I was coming up here into a situation where I know with these fraud calls that what happens is is the the pigeons that are dropped off inside >> they the the people who dropped them off the cars then wait outside or somebody acts as a lookout and the second that this police car rolls up >> they're gone they leave. So, you understand? >> I came out at the right. >> Right. You You came out right then and there. It had nothing to do with the fact that she just looked at me. >> It's that I'm coming up here and I don't know how many people are involved. I know for sure there's one woman. That's all I know. And I had a description of her. I don't know if she has a ride sitting around the corner cuz that's how it >> I've never seen I've never seen it not work like that. That's what I was told by your officer. >> Yeah. And I think that part of that is is is him >> not not being good enough with describing the situation to you. >> So you understand what happened. >> Do you understand where >> totally totally and and I you know it it it upset me too. But you're right. There's some things about our roles that I can't reverse and I can't put myself in your place. But there are other things as you know just as a man that I can't like I I wouldn't like that if if I felt like just because I walked out of the the bank at a certain time that I got the police >> breathing down my neck. But [clears throat] do you do you kind of understand like everything that took place? >> Yes. >> All right. You feel better about it? >> A little bit. >> Cool. >> But is this stuff like that just don't sit well with this happened? >> Yeah. >> All right. All right. >> Sorry. Sorry that happened. One other thing about the debit card that she swiped. I want to I want to strangle my officer that took her back to jail. Um cuz we have to we don't have a female working. So we did we did South Ulid come up with a female to do the full pat down on her. >> Yeah. Nothing come up. >> They let her go to the bathroom before they dressed her into the jail clothes. She flushed that debit card. I'm certain of it cuz they can't find it. Do do your records keep record of what she swiped here at the counter, Stephanie? >> That that [clears throat] debit card that she swiped. >> How long does the transaction history stay stored in your like computer information? >> Oh, forever. >> Forever. >> Yeah. >> All right. We're probably going to need that at some point. >> Thank you, officer. >> Yep. Stephanie, here's my card. The report numbers on the back. >> And like I said, we'll be in touch about, I guess, subpoenas for some of those computer records and stuff. >> Okay. >> Other than that, that outstanding catch by you. Good job. All right, have a good one. >> The suspect was charged with two counts of forgery, aggravated theft, and receiving stolen property. All felony charges. Thanks for watching the video. Hit the subscribe button and check out another video below.