Oxford police arrest forgery suspect, searching for other suspects

Oxford police have charged an Anniston man after he attempted to cash two fake checks and police are searchingfor three more suspects in unrelated forged check cases.  47 year old Alan Jeffery Gross, was charged with two felony counts of possession of a forged instrument. Police say that Gross attempted to cash a check Wednesday afternoon written for $1,754 at BB&T on Hamric Drive. An alert bank employee turned Gross away because the check was suspicious and contacted Oxford police.  A few minutes later, police were called to Noble Bank and Trust on U.S. 78 where Gross was trying to cash another forged check.  The second check was written for $1,875. Gross was unable to cash either check and was apprehended by Oxford police at the second bank. Gross was using a Maryland driver’s license, but he lives in Anniston.  Police were also investigating three more cases of forged checks reported this week.  Earlier in the week two men tried to cash checks at Noble Bank and Trust in Oxford. Two bank tellers helping the men both called the business to ensure the checks were real but the men left before the tellers got off the phone and both left their driver’s licenses at the bank. Police are searching for 48 year old Everett Harris,  of Jacksonville, and 51 year old Erskine Thomas, of Selma, for attempting to cash the forged checks.  Police say they believe the account and routing numbers of the businesses were taken from checks left in mailboxes over the weekend.