An Elkhart man was able to steal money from a Kosciusko County man’s bank account after collecting the man’s personal information and taking control of his internet banking.

Timothy Richard Brink, 28, Elkhart, was arrested and booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 7:43 p.m. Tuesday for fraud on a financial institution. His bond was set at $5,250.

According to court documents filed Jan. 8, Brink faces one count of fraud on a financial institution, a level 5 felony, and a count of theft, a level 6 felony.

On Dec. 28, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department officer Shane Bucher spoke with Lake City Bank Client Protective Service Manager Lecia Derrossett who confirmed the victim has an online account with the bank. Derrossett said the victim spoke with her and said his account had been accessed and someone had taken over his internet banking and removed funds from his account.



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The victim told her he believed that Brink obtained his bank card and used the card to access the account and remove the money.

Derrossett investigated the matter and found that on Dec. 11 $1,850 had been stolen from the account. She said Brink had called into the call center and had the telephone number and email address changed on the account and then was able to access  the money. She provided Bucher with a copy of the call center phone recording.Lake City Bank refunded $1,850 to the victim’s account.

Bucher spoke with the victim who said when Brink and he worked together, Brink got his bank card from his wallet. The victim said Brink had called him and wanted his home address so he could send him a Christmas card, which is apparently how Brink got the victim’s home address.

The victim said he never gave Brink permission or consent to remove money from his account.

Bucher played the one call center recording and he was able to positively identified the caller as Brink, according to court documents.