We received this notification from the Wisconsin Crime Alert Network:
TYPE OF INCIDENT: Forgery/Attempted Theft
DATE OF INCIDENT: 04-25-12
TIME OF INCIDENT: Approximately 1600 hours
LOCATION OF INCIDENT: Janesville
DETAILS OF INCIDENT:
Rock County Deputies came into contact with a black male walking S/B on S. US. Hwy 51 by STH 11 earlier this evening. Upon contacting him to check his welfare, the male identified as Michael L. Jeffries (32 years old), advised he was from Charlotte, NC and was walking home because the males he drove up with left him. During the questioning, Michael advised deputies he traveled to Wisconsin with 5-6 other black males to cash checks at local banks. Michael had in his possession a business check made out to him apparently drafted by Koscik Construction out of Madison to the amount of $1903.65. Michael volunteered this was a forged check and it had been given to him to cash today at the M&I bank located on Main St. in the City of Janesville. Michael said he walked into the bank around 1600 hours but became scared and left shortly after. Michael returned to the males that had given him and after learning he did not cash the check, they left him.
Michael claimed that he was given alcohol/drugs by these males for payment of cashing the check. Michael claimed he did not know the names of the the males but claimed he was recruited by them in Charlotte, NC and driven here within the past 48 hours. Michael described the 2 vehicles used to drive up as a "high end" silver Cadillac 4-dr and a white 2-dr Pontiac Grand Am (unk plates).
Michael was using heroin during the drive up and was not very descriptive of the males he traveled with. Michael was told that Janesville was their planned destination to cash checks and they did not stop and cash checks on the trip up. He observed at one point one of the males he traveled with had approximately 50 blank checks in an envelope that they were hoping to cash. Michael also claimed that the males in the other car (Pontiac Grand Am) had been successful today in cashing a check at another M&I location in Janesville.
It is believed that the M&I banks in the area are the targeted banks but other banks could be targeted as well. Koscik Construction is a legitamate business in Madison but we have not been able to contact them at the time of this message.
Agency Contact Information
AGENCY NAME: Rock County Sheriff's Office
OFFICER ISSUING ALERT: Sgt. Shawn Natter
TELEPHONE NUMBER: (608) 757-7917
EMAIL: natter@co.rock.wi.us
If you have any information pertaining to this alert, contact the issuing law enforcement agency shown above.
