Mississippi woman arrested in connection with Walton County grand theft investigation

WALTON COUNTY, Fla. ( WMBB ) – A Mississippi woman was arrested for grand theft and passing a counterfeit check in Walton County.

According to a news release, in April 2023 a construction company based in Santa Rosa Beach in Walton County, Florida sent a vendor check for $15,567 through the U.S. Postal Service.

The check was stolen in transit, WCSO officials confirmed.

The suspect was reported to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office in May 2024.

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Bureau conducted an extensive investigation. Investigators said they traced the check to 24-year-old Xandria Jenkins of Yazoo, Mississippi.

Jenkins claims she was given the check from someone she met online, cashed it, gave the other person half, and spent the rest, officials wrote.

Jenkins was extradited from Mississippi to Walton County earlier this month.

Walton County Sheriff’s Office will continue to work with the U.S. Postal Service to investigate the original theft of the check.

To reduce the chances of being a victim of check theft:

• Report crimes as soon as you learn of them
• Use postal tracking for sending large checks
• Request signature confirmation upon delivery
• Use secure postal boxes
• Confirm the name on the check and that it was cashed by the person/vendor you sent it to
• Consider bank wire transfers

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