BY KEITH EPPS
Four people who police say cashed numerous phony checks in the Fredericksburg area were arrested over the weekend.
The arrests were the result of joint efforts by the Spotsylvania and Stafford sheriff's offices, spokespersons for both agencies said.
Those arrested were working in pairs. It does not appear that the two pairs are connected, police said.
Two young men used phony $100 American Express traveler's checks to buy pieces of candy and other inexpensive items at various stores, police said. They then pocketed the change.
Two Richmond women cashed or tried to cash fake payroll checks and traveler's checks at at least four area Bloom stores being getting caught.
Antonio Kadeem Wilcox, 20, of Jacksonville, Fla., and Anthony Nathan Sidbury, 20, of Brooklyn, N.Y., were both charged with nearly 70 offenses, including forgery, passing forged documents, conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretenses.
Stafford Sheriff's spokesman Bill Kennedy said the suspects used the traveler's checks to purchase candy at Shoppers Food Warehouse in Stafford Marketplace on Friday and Saturday.
After contacting American Express and learning that the checks were not valid, the manager called the Sheriff's Office.
Police learned that three checks had been cashed at the Target on U.S. 17, while three more had been denied after police notified businesses of the scam.
Store officials tried to keep the suspects in the Target until police arrived, but they left. Police were given a description of their vehicle and warned other law enforcement agencies.
They apparently went straight to the Walmart in Southpoint in Spotsylvania.
Sheriff's spokeswoman Liz Scott said 1st Sgt. James Bibens had just warned the store and others about what had happened in Stafford.
About 15 minutes later, the suspects showed up and were soon taken into custody. They are suspects in similar thefts in Fredericksburg, as well.
Meanwhile, two Richmond woman are accused of fraudulently obtaining money from several area Bloom stores on Sunday.
Stores in the Chancellor Center and in Lee's Hill were hit before warnings were sent to all area Bloom stores.
The women tried to cash fake $100 checks at the store on Warrenton Road in Stafford Sunday before being spotted in the Salem Fields Bloom store in Spotsylvania, police said.
Police were called and the two women were taken into custody.
Ericka Shorter, 18, and Angela Shorter, 43, both of Richmond, were charged with more than 30 offenses. Police weren't sure about the women's relation, but they have the same address.
All four suspects were placed in the Rappahannock Regional Jail.
Keith Epps: 540/374-5404
Email: kepps@freelancestar.com