KOSCIUSKO — A Gary man has been arrested after he used fraudulent checks to purchase items at two local home improvement stores.

Cameron Lee Howell, 25, 1005 W. 35th Ave., Gary, is being charged with fraud on a financial institution, a level 5 felony; two counts of forgery, level 6 felonies; and two counts of theft, level 6 felonies.

On Aug. 8, an officer with the Warsaw Police Department responded to forgery and theft at the Warsaw Menards. An employee advised that a male subject had used counterfeit checks to purchase $2,011.44 of tools and merchandise. The check was signed with Howell’s name but later returned because the checking account and routing numbers did not match. The officer was provided with surveillance video of Howell making the purchase.

The officer then spoke with employees at Lowe’s in Warsaw. Howell had written a check there to purchase $1,518.65 of tools and merchandise. That check was also returned and surveillance video of the purchase was provided to the officer.

The officer was able to make contact with another police department. Officers there advised that the checking account on the written checks belonged to an Illinois couple who had filed a fraud report. The couple did not give anyone permission to use their checking account information.

The surveillance video from both locations was reviewed and the officer was able to determine the individuals making the purchases was the same suspect. A photograph of Howell was obtained from Lake County Jail to positively identify Howell as the subject. A warrant was then issued for Howell’s arrest.

Howell was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail on Oct. 19 with a $10,000 surety and cash bond.