Cold as Ice: Ex-Employee Accused of Stealing $11K From Melville Ralph’s Italian Ices

MELVILLE, N.Y. — A Brooklyn woman was arrested Thursday morning after investigators say she stole more than $11,000 from her former employer by forging checks and depositing them into her personal bank account.

Suffolk County Police said the investigation began after the owner of Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices, located at 1 Schwab Road in Melville, discovered multiple unauthorized transactions involving checks made payable to a former employee.

Financial Crime Unit detectives investigated the transactions and determined that 25-year-old Leeanna Luke allegedly forged and deposited 15 checks into her personal account, totaling $11,828.13.

Luke was arrested at approximately 7:15 a.m. Thursday.

She was charged with first-degree identity theft, third-degree grand larceny and second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument.

Luke is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday at First District Court in Central Islip.