Bad checks and retail thefts in Tamaqua

Tamaqua police released information on recent cases involving bad checks and retail thefts.

• Teresa Maresca, 53, of Orwigsburg Street, Tamaqua, was charged after failing to make good on a bounced check she wrote to Boyer’s Food Market. The check for $18.54 was written on Nov. 13, 2017, and returned from Santander Bank on Nov. 20, stamped as “not sufficient funds.” Boyer’s made repeated efforts to contact Maresca but all were unsuccessful in getting the case resolved. The total amount she will now have to pay is $55.13 which includes the original amount, a $30 returned check fee and $6.59 for postage.

• Lynne W. Creitz, 69, of Pitt Street, Tamaqua, wrote a check for $250 at Boyer’s Food Market on May 11. The check was returned as NSF and efforts to have Creitz resolve the issue were unsuccessful. She will now owe a total of $286.70, the initial check amount, a $30 returned check fee and $6.70 for postage.

• Roberto B. Mehmeti, 38, of Pitt Street, Tamaqua, was charged with retail theft for an incident on Aug. 8 at the Fegley Mini Mart on Center Street. Mehmeti entered the store at 7:20 p.m., walked to a cooler and took out a bottle of Pepsi. He uncapped the bottle, then placed it on a shelf before entering the restroom. He left the store about 10 minutes later, leaving the opened bottle on the shelf. The total value of unusable product is $1.79.

• Anna E. Formica, 65, of Hunter Street, Tamaqua, purchased cat food and litter at the Family Dollar Store on Center Street on Aug. 7. When she exited the store at 7:31 p.m., an alarm sounded and employees stopped her. Two packs of underwear, valued at $9.30, were found stuffed in the bottom of her purse.

• Police received a complaint about suspicious people in the area of the Wine and Sprits Store on Railroad Street at 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 12. Officers found Joseph Franz, 31, of Lombard Street, and Stephanie Parliament, 31, of Barnesville, behind the store. A records search found outstanding arrest warrants for both of them. Parliament was wanted by Lehigh County officials while Franz was wanted by Tamaqua police. Franz was arraigned and unable to post the required $25,000 percentage bail. He and Parliament were transported to the Schuylkill County prison in Pottsville.