Police in western Ohio are investigating an attempted bank fraud after a suspect allegedly tried to access a resident’s bank account using a stolen identity.
According to the Celina Police Department, the incident occurred on March 11 at Peoples Bank on West Logan Street in Celina.
Investigators said a woman entered the bank wearing a disguise and attempted to gain access to a customer’s account using someone else’s identity. A bank employee reportedly recognized the activity as suspicious and intervened before any funds were taken.
During the investigation, officers discovered three similar fraud attempts at other financial institutions in Mercer County. Those earlier reports indicated that both a man and a woman were involved and suggested there could be additional accomplices.
The Fort Recovery Police Department later received a report about comparable suspicious activity at Park National Bank. Officers were provided with a description of a man connected to the incident and located someone matching that description nearby.
Police detained 54-year-old Robert Candidus of New York, who investigators say attempted to use the identity of a Celina resident. Candidus is now facing a fifth-degree felony charge of identity fraud.
Authorities said multiple law enforcement agencies assisted in the investigation, including the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, Coldwater Police Department, Fort Recovery Police Department, St. Henry Police Department, the Grand Lake Task Force, and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.
The case remains under active investigation.
Police are asking anyone who may have information about the incident or similar fraudulent activity to contact Detective A.J. Poppe of the Celina Police Department at 419-586-2345.
