Carbon woman facing theft charge

A Carbon County woman is facing a felony charge and related counts after she took checks from her parents and attempted to cash them in the name of her sister.

State police at Hazleton said Kaitlin R. Helmer, 20, of Beaver Meadows, has been charged with felony forgery and counts of theft by deception, theft, identity theft and possession for drug paraphernalia.

According to troopers, on Dec. 4 Helmer took her sister's state identification card and checks belonging to her parents, all of Beaver Meadows. She forged her mother's name on the checks for the purpose of cashing the checks in the name of her sister at the BB&T Bank in Hazleton. She was taken into custody and a consent search of her vehicle revealed drug paraphernalia.

Records indicate she is an inmate in the county prison in Nesquehoning.