Alert Bank Teller Helps Bust Open Check Theft Scheme

An alert teller at the Wells Fargo Bank on Kellogg Street in Kennewick helped police uncover what's possibly multiple counts of stolen check fraud and theft.

Thursday afternoon, a man tried to cash a check on what's called a third-party closed account at the bank.

This immediately raised the suspicions of the teller and bank officials, who called police. Upon arrival authorities promptly arrested 29-year-old Andrew Martinez. During the course of the initial investigation, police found numerous stolen checkbooks in his possession. Potential charges are pending against two other men who may have been his accomplices.

Martinez is now in the Benton County jail. It is possible he and others may have tried this at other financial institutions in the area. The investigation continues.