Bensalem Man Cashes ‘Fraudulent’ Check: Police

A 38-year-old Bensalem man forged and cashed a phony check, shorting a Bensalem merchant of more than $1,200, police say.

Kenny Severe, of the 2500 block of Knights Road in Bensalem, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with felony counts of forgery, access device fraud, theft by deception and theft by unlawful taking as well as a misdemeanor count of receiving stolen property.

Bensalem Police allege that Severe, a reported “repeat customer” of the Quick Mart at 2509 Dunksferry Road in Bensalem, on Nov. 7 cashed a check for $1,286. The following week, the store’s owners told police that TD Bank returned the check as unpaid because it allegedly had been “altered” and was a “fraudulent” check, according to court documents.

The bank also charged the store owner a $20 returned check fee, increasing the total loss to $1,306, according to police.

Severe was arraigned on Wednesday and awaits a preliminary hearing tentatively scheduled for Dec. 17. He is being held in the Bucks County Correctional Facility in lieu of 10 percent of $50,000 bail.