Check Fraud Leads to Arrest in Theft of $2,600

Police have charged a Southington man in connection with the theft of over $2,600 through the use of various fraudulent checks over a four-month period and the theft of additional goods following two July shoplifting incidents at .

Tyler French, of 73 Todd Road, was taken into custody upon his release from Hartford Correctional Center on Monday and immediately booked on charges of third-degree larceny, third-degree forgery and two counts of sixth-degree larceny.

He was arraigned on the charges in Bristol Superior Court Tuesday and released after posting bond, according to court officials.

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“The charges stem from a series of incidents that led to the department obtaining three separate warrants,” Sgt. Jeffrey Dobratz said. “The cases included shoplifting cases on July 10 and again on July 18, as well as a series of fraudulent checks he wrote between March and June.”

According to the police report, French had knowingly used bad checks from an account he established with a local bank in order to obtain various purchases and cash from businesses throughout the area. He obtained a total of $2,680 in the process, the report said.

Police reports did not indicate what was taken from Price Chopper.

French had just completed a 30-day sentence from a 2011 incident, one in which he failed to report to court on several occasions after being released on bond, court officials said.

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