Police arrest women accused of bank fraud, identity theft

• Advocate Baker - Zachary bureau
• Published: Jun 20, 2009 - Page: 5B

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ZACHARY — A police detective arrested two women Thursday after bank employees alerted him to a possible fraudulent transaction.

Capt. David McDavid said he walked into the Regions Bank branch in Zachary and noticed employees questioning the women, who soon left.

After an employee pointed to the women, McDavid said, he followed the pair outside and asked them for identification, but the two gave him false names and identification.

The women were attempting to cash or deposit what appeared to be a genuine U.S. Treasury check for $7,370.14, but they left it in the bank when they walked out, McDavid said.

Police booked Tiffany S. Jenkins, 24, 3119 Eddie Robinson Lane, Jackson, and Shaquita Anthony, 28, 2362 Kentucky St., Baton Rouge, at Parish Prison with one count each of bank fraud and identity theft, McDavid said.

McDavid said the two — and possibly others — are suspected of using other people’s names and Social Security account numbers to generate fraudulent income tax refunds.

He said the two are suspected of collecting at least $9,000 through the scheme.

Zachary police requested assistance from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service in investigating the case, he said.

Anthony also was booked with possession of codeine and three unrelated traffic counts.