Man jailed for theft, forgery

SANDPOINT — A man was arrested Monday after cashing stolen checks the same moment the checks’ owners reported the theft to their bank, according to a Sandpoint Police report.

Brian Christopher Cummings is charged with two counts of forgery, grand theft and burglary. He was ordered held in lieu of $50,000 bail on Tuesday and a public defender was appointed to represent him, court records show.

Cummings, 45, blamed the checks’ theft on a neighbor who he claims duped him into cashing them at AmericanWest Bank. The checks were reportedly in a coat that was stolen from Ivano’s Ristoranté.

Two checks, worth a combined total of $1,350, were made out in the defendant’s name and video surveillance at the bank captured his image inside the bank. The signature of the account holder appeared to be forged, the police report said. The burglary charge was filed because Cummings allegedly entered the bank in order to perpetrate a theft.

Police obtained a search warrant for Cummings’ Sandpoint apartment and van, which turned up $496 in cash, an unspecified amount of suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Cummings has not been charged with drug offenses because the evidence is still be analyzed, the report said.