LPD, embezzlement arrest

LAUREL, Miss. - After a three-month search, the Laurel Police Department found a local woman Wednesday morning who is accused of embezzlement.

Police said they arrested Donna Baer, 54, for the crime.

Laurel Police Investigator, Sgt. Michael Reaves said, "She was wanted in embezzlement with a local business where she was taking payments for rent, for properties the company owned, and then pocketing the proceeds, leaving the owner to believe those payments haven't been made."

Reaves said Baer left town and could not initially locate her. But, because of the media's help, they found her in Soso.

"Embezzlement is something that we take seriously. It's something in the last few years we actually seen a rise in a lot of financial problems we've seen. We see spikes in embezzlement being one of those, along with credit card fraud. But those crimes are not taken any lighter than we would take an armed robbery or burglary," said Reaves.

Baer's bond is set for $5,000.