Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Thursday, March 27, 2008
Former cable tech charged with theft
Charges were filed Wednesday against a former technician accused of stealing checks from a home while making a cable television service call.
Kyle Koopman, 22, of Sparta, Wis., was charged with forgery and misdemeanor theft
in La Crosse County Circuit Court.
A South Side La Crosse homeowner told authorities Koopman was at her house Feb. 18 to work on her Charter Communications service, according to the criminal complaint.
He was alone near her extra checkbooks, according to the the complaint, and a $110 check to Charter and a $67.48 check to a Sparta gas station were forged from her account.
Koopman later called the woman to apologize for stealing and cashing the checks, according to the complaint.
Charter spokeswoman Anita Lamont said Koopman was not an employee but did work for the business under contract with Broadband Solutions in La Crosse. Broadband officials could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Koopman was released on a $300 cash bond. His case was continued until Wednesday so he could hire an attorney.
Anne Jungen can be reached at (608) 791-8224 or ajungen@lacrossetribune.com.
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