Bloomfield woman charged with using phone app to steal cash

A Bloomfield resident, Shelby Miller, 27, is facing preliminary charges of Level 6 felony theft and Class A misdemeanor theft after an inmate incarcerated at the Greene County Jail filed a report with jail staff.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Jasonville Police Officer Ryan Van Horn, the inmate filed a theft complaint report on July 26.

The report was sent to Van Horn for investigation. Van Horn reported the inmate stated he allowed a person outside of the jail to use his cell phone to set up a new cell phone. The inmate explained while their friend had access to the inmate’s cell phone, someone allegedly transferred $1,200 from his Cash App account to the account of Shelby Miller.

On July 31, Van Horn recounted, interviews were conducted with the person last known to be in possession of the inmate’s cell phone and Miller, who has a relationship with that person. Prior to the interviews, Van Horn read both their Miranda rights and they both agreed to speak to him.

During the interviews, the friend of the inmate advised he borrowed the inmate’s cell phone and was using it to reactivate his own cell phone. When asked, he told Van Horn he did not transfer any money from the inmate’s Cash App account, but that Miller did, while the pair sat in a vehicle in Jasonville.

The alleged transaction took place on May 16 in the amount of $1,201.64.

Van Horn interviewed Miller next, and reported she initially stated she did not transfer the money, but later admitted the theft, independently confirming it took place in a vehicle in Jasonville.

Van Horn states he asked Miller what happened to the inmate’s cell phone, and she told the officer she threw it out the window of her vehicle on a county road while driving back to Bloomfield but could not provide an exact location.

A warrant was issued for Miller’s arrest on August 2 and she was arrested on August 5 on charges of Level 6 felony theft where the value of property is between $750 and $50,000 and Class A misdemeanor theft.

Her bond was set at $5,000 with 10% allowed.

Miller bonded out, and an initial hearing is scheduled for August 19.

All persons are considered innocent until they are proven guilty in a court of law.