Police say pair stole nearly $2K from Pa. jail

[July 01, 2010]  HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. (AP) -- A couple were charged with stealing nearly $2,000 from a central Pennsylvania jail by using a routing number from a check the woman got from the jail after her release last year.

Police said a 61-year-old man and his 51-year-old wife used the routing number to use Blair County jail account to pay their utility bills and transfer $179 to the man's bank account.

The wife got the routing number when she received a check for $6.95 to reimburse her for money remaining in her inmate expense account after her release on unrelated theft charges in October. The couple pleaded not guilty and face a preliminary hearing July 13.

County officials said they've changed the way its inmate account is handled to prevent future abuses.

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Information from: Altoona Mirror, http://www.altoonamirror.com/

[Associated Press]

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