Ex-Ralph's Famous Italian Ices employee allegedly stole more than $11G by forging checks from Melville franchise, police say
Suffolk police arrested Leanna Luke on Thursday on grand larceny and other charges. Credit: Paul Mazza
A former employee stole more than $11,000 by forging checks from the owner of the Ralph's Famous Italian Ices franchise in Melville, police said.
Leanna Luke, of Brooklyn, was arrested Thursday after the owner of the Melville store on Schwab Road notified police about the unauthorized checks, Suffolk police said.
Luke, 25, deposited checks totaling $11,828 into her personal account, Suffolk police said in a news release Thursday.
Luke was charged with grand larceny, identity theft and criminal possession of a forged instrument, police said.
She pleaded not guilty Thursday in First District Court in Central Islip and was released without bail, according to court records.
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
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