Perkasie Borough Police. Photo by Tony Di Domizio.
The incident occurred at Quakertown National Bank in Perkasie on Friday.
A 34-year-old man is wanted as of Monday on charges of felony forgery, two counts of felony attempted forgery, and misdemeanor receiving stolen property, after Perkasie Borough Police allege he attempted to cash a check stolen from someone’s Perkasie home at two Quakertown National Bank locations.
However, it was determined that James Matthew Herzstein, who is listed as homeless, did successfully cash a check not belonging to him for $200 on a previous date, according to a criminal complaint.
On Friday evening, the victim contacted police regarding Herzstein stealing checks from her home on the 200 block of South Ridge Road, police said.
The victim was contacted the day before by Quakertown National Bank in Perkasie, informing her that Herzstein had attempted to cash a check, per the affidavit. The signature, police said, did not appear to match the victim’s signature on file, and the transaction was declined. Furthermore, Herzstein’s ID, police said, had expired and affected the transaction.
Police said the victim checked her bank account associated with the check, and discovered another check for $200 was cashed on Aug. 12. Then, in checking her checkbook, the victim found three more checks torn out, police said.
Neither the victim nor her husband authorized Herzstein to use their account, per the complaint.
Then, serendipitously on Friday, Hatfield Police had a run-in with Herzstein, police said, and three stolen QNB checks, and three stolen Univest Bank checks, were found in his wallet.
Per the affidavit, one of the checks had been filled out entirely with a forged signature.
Police said QNB told the victim that, when Herzstein’s attempt to cash the check at the QNB Perkasie branch was rejected, he then proceeded to the QNB branch at 901 S. West End Blvd. in Quakertown, where he attempted to cash the check again, but was again rejected.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
