Man arrested on suspicion of theft, forgery

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A report of a stolen checkbook in Bernie, Missouri, has resulted in the arrest of a local man.

Travis Dean Burnett, 28, has been charged with tampering with a motor vehicle, forgery and theft under $500.

A probable-cause statement filed by Bernie police chief Justin Allen last week says a woman in the 200 block of East Fordyce Street in Bernie reported her checkbook had been stolen from her vehicle. She also said another person living there had reported several stolen items, mostly tools.

The checkbook theft victim visited her local bank, which gave her a list of places where several unauthorized purchases were made.

Several, including Bernie's Town and Country Supermarket and Casey's General Store, Breaktime and Amerimart at Dexter, all had video surveillance of the transactions, Allen reported.

Burnett was arrested Thursday. He is reported to have admitted to stealing the checkbook from a vehicle. He told police he bought two packs of cigarettes and wrote the check for $20 more. He also reportedly confessed to taking the missing tools.

Burnett told Allen his reason for stealing was because he and his girlfriend are addicted to methamphetamine and pain pills and "need help."

Burnett is on parole for first-degree burglary. He is scheduled for arraignment Thursday before Judge Joe Z. Satterfield.