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SALT LAKE CITY — Charges have been filed against a man accused of stealing bank account information from the Cottonwood Heights mayor. A quick-thinking clerk alerted the mayor to the theft.
Recently-filed charging documents and a probable cause statement show Cottonwood Heights Mayor Kelvyn Cullimore learned of the theft when a clerk at Check City, 7490 S. State Street, became suspicious of a check on Dec. 26, 2011.
According to the documents, Shaughn Richard Mari, 30, came into the business on that day and tried to pass a check for $850 from K&L Design. The clerk began to process the transaction then she realized the account number and routing number didn't belong to a business. It turns out, the account belonged to Cullimore.
The clerk called Cullimore, who said he had no knowledge of K&L Design or Mari, then called police.
Cullimore told KSL Friday morning, "(The clerk) called me at home, which I thought was going above and beyond, and we were able to ascertain it was a fraudulent check."
"I'm not sure exactly how she was able to do that on the part of the individual, and then to keep him there another five minutes after she talked to me in order for the police to arrive. I felt it was an incredibly astute act on the part of the employee," Cullimore said.
He added that at the time, the clerk did not know he was the mayor.
Investigators say Mari was carrying another check belonging to another man. According to the charging documents, that man said he lost his check book at the end of January and closed his account.
Mari faces charges of forgery, possession of a forged check, and attempted theft by deception.
Investigators say most victims of identity theft never know their personal information has been stolen until the thieves have run up hundreds or even thousands of dollars in charges.
Cullimore calls the incident a "lesson" to be careful about your personal information.
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