The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office says payments intended for the Monroe County Clerk’s office were intercepted and the checks were stolen.
The sheriff’s and the clerk’s offices jointly announced that they were tipped off to the thefts by banks. The checks were intended to cover mortgage discharge fees. The theft amounted to $32,000.
County Clerk Jamie Romeo says the checks were written to her office in May, and she became aware in June of 16 instances in which checks had gone missing. The stolen checks were altered and cashed. The clerk then called for a criminal investigation by the sheriff’s office.
Romeo would not say whether anyone has been suspended or fired because of the thefts.