By ALIN HETT
Hays Post
A 28-year-old Hays resident, Reyna Montoya, was arrested on June 8 on allegations of theft by deception.
According to preliminary information provided by Hays Police Department Lt. Brandon Wright, officers were dispatched to Check Into Cash regarding an alleged theft investigation. Upon arrival, Montoya was cooperative with officers, Wright said.
Wright said the investigation was brought to law enforcement by upper management at Check Into Cash. He said without the involvement of management, the alleged thefts might not have been discovered at that time.
Wright said Montoya allegedly used her position within the company to access customer credit lines to allegedly steal money from customers. Hays PD investigators estimate the total loss to be about $26,000. The alleged activity is believed to have occurred between March and June of this year.
Wright sad at the time of Montoya’s arrest on June 8, Hays PD had identified 22 alleged victims. Since then, the number of alleged victims has increased to 33. Wright said the investigation remains ongoing and additional alleged victims might still be identified.
According to the police report, the investigation began after one of the alleged victims received a notice stating that a bill had not been paid. The alleged victim contacted the business and informed management that the notice appeared to be a mistake.
After reviewing the account and speaking with the customer, management reportedly determined that something was wrong and contacted the Hays Police Department. The subsequent investigation led to the allegations against Montoya.
Montoya has since posted bond and been released from custody. Wright said the case is still open and ongoing. As with all criminal cases, the allegations remain accusations, and Montoya is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.