In an investigation that began in late August, a rural Crothersville woman has been charged with theft from The Peoples Bank.
Jackson County Sheriff Rick Meyer was notified by The Peoples Bank officials of a possible fraud and theft from the bank by a former bank employee.
During their investigation, Meyer and detective Jesse Hutchinson learned that Kayla N. Applegate, 33, of the 2000 block of S 1025 E, Crothersville had defrauded the bank for over $80,000.
While working at the bank, Applegate had access to the bank credit card system and purportedly opened unauthorized credit cards in December 2023 and February of this year
According to the probable cause affidavit, bank officials told police that no paperwork was completed on either of the credit cards issued. Applegate kept increasing the cards credit limit while making cash advances to herself from the card, according to the court document.
Applegate had a balance of $32,345.53 on the first card and a balance of $48,201.20 on the second.
In an interview with Det. Hutchinson on Oct. 8, Applegate said they needed around $20,000 to finish their house. According to the probable cause she did not ask anyone at the bank and just opened the (credit) card accounts.
When bank officials confronted Applegate about the credit cards she created, she resigned from the bank.
On Tuesday, Oct. 22, Applegate was arrested on a court warrant for a felony charge of theft. She was booked into Jackson County Jail at 7:14 p.m. and was released at 3:23 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24 on a $2,000 cash only bond.