Thompkins arrest

On February 6, 2014, I, Officer Tim Van Nostrand was on duty and assigned to
marked cruiser East 4. At 11:48am I was dispatched to Citizens Bank at 338 Broadway for a report of a female attempting to cash a fraudulent check. Officer Jean Jacques (W5), Det. James McNally (D20), and Officers Ward and Moreira (C4) responded to assist.

Upon entering the store I observed a female matching the description given to me by dispatch standing at a teller’s window. The teller saw me, and nodded. I approached the female and asked her to step into one of the offices so we could chat.

I sat down with the female, and identified her as Valerie Thompkins via a Maine License. I asked Valerie if she knew why I wanted to talk to her, and she responded no. I asked her if she was trying to cash a check, and she stated yes a check from her job. When asked where she worked, she would only respond the company’s name is on the check, and she doesn’t know it off the top of her head.

Bank manager, informed Det. McNally that he received an alert from corporate security regarding these checks. When the account number listed on these checks is entered into a bank computer, an alert pops up informing the teller to call the police immediately. Bank Manager also provided a print out of the alert along with the picture of a possible suspect. This picture strongly resembles Thompkins, and was taken at another branch yesterday.

Det. Shaye Dottin called my phone to alert me she had a new case with the same individual for the same type of crime. At this time, I placed Valerie Thompkins into handcuffs and informed her she was under arrest for Uttering a False Check. I also read Thompkins her Miranda Rights from the card I keep inside my shirt pocket. Thompkins acknowledged her rights, and agreed to speak with me further.

She stated she gets the checks from a black male named “E”. She met “E” one day at her job at H&M in downtown Boston. “E” or one of his associates picks Thompkins up, and drives her to a bank in an attempt to cash the checks. She does not know “E’s” real name but does have a phone number.

I informed Thompkins she would be taken to the station to be booked and she could speak with detectives on the issue further. Officer McCarey transported her tot he station in Unit 200 and she was booked by LT. A. Rymill. I seized the fraudulent check and tagged it for evidence.