Police Bust Marlborough Woman for Bogus $999 Check

A Marlborough woman was arrested for allegedly trying to cash a forged $999 check at the Union Savings Bank at 411 Monroe Turnpike in Monroe Wednesday afternoon.

Susan L. Berube, 51, of South Main Street was charged with criminal attempt to commit fifth-degree larceny, third-degree forgery and forgery of symbols of value. She was held on $500 bond (lowered from $1,000 by the bail commissioner) and taken to court Thursday morning.

Officers responded to a call from Union Savings Bank at 3:46 p.m. Wednesday about a woman wearing blue shirt and jeans — later identified as Susan Berube — attempting to cash a bogus check, police said.

The bank teller told the officers Berube attempted to cash a $999 check made out to her from a Bantam business. But Berube was acting very nervous, raising the teller's suspicions, according to police.

After determining that Berube did not have an account at Union Savings bank, and based on her nervousness, the teller contacted the writer of the check and determined it was fraudulent, police said.

According to the teller, the owner of the business said he had not written the check and still had the original in his possession. He said the check was forged and that he did not know Berube, so the teller called police, the report said.

Berube said she had been "taking a drive" and saw the Union Savings Bank, which reminded her about the check in her purse, police said, adding Berube told officers she received the check in the mail several weeks ago and assumed she had won a contest.