Antique shop owner catches man wanted for passing bad checks

PALMYRA, Mo. -- Thousands of tourists pass through this little town on their way to see the Mark Twain tourist sights in nearby Hannibal, which served as the inspirational setting for the Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer classics.

But potential criminals better steer clear of the Midwest Antique Co.

Banish any stereotypes of absent-minded shopkeepers minding an antique store: Owner Kathy Wear spotted a man wanted in six states on suspicion of passing bad checks Tuesday, four months after she read an article about him.

William Meloy, 56, of Bismarck, N.D. was arrested by Hannibal police shortly after he visited the Wear's antique store, thanks to her tip.

"We're always watching for this sort of thing. Being in this business, you have to," Wear said Wednesday night. "I'm just glad we put an end to this guy taking advantage of people all over the country."

Wear explained last fall she was reading Antique Week, a publication aimed at antique sellers. She saw an article saying Meloy was a forgery suspect, who was allegedly passing bad checks and trying to sell merchandise to stores.

Wear and her husband Mike opened their store in September. She said when she read the article in her October edition, she realized Meloy had been in the store shortly after it first opened, though he hadn't bought or sold anything.

She put the article in a drawer, and thought little of it, until she started talking to Meloy when he returned Tuesday.

He introduced himself to her, and as he started talking more about himself, Wear said she realized the details were reminding her of the article she read last fall.

He told her he was from North Dakota and was in a blue van. She said she remembered reading that in her publication.

She watched him pull out, noted his direction and license number, and then promptly took the information --along with her copy of the story-- to the nearby sheriff's office.

Marion County Sheriff John Waldschlager said her quick thinking led to Meloy's arrest in Hannibal, about 15 miles south of Palmyra. "Kathy could have just shrugged it off, but she chose to get involved. It's amazing she remembered the article. A lot of states and a lot of victims can thank Kathy Wear."

To verify active warrants on Meloy, his date of birth was needed, and Waldschlager called a phone number in the article provided by Wear.

Police said Meloy was wanted for bad check charges in Indiana, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Kansas. The number of checks passed and their value were not yet clear Wednesday. His van was impounded, and law enforcement estimated it contained merchandise valued at more than $25,000. Meloy was in a Hannibal business when he was apprehended, trying to purchase things with a check, authorities said.