A Linton man is accused of using a debit card without permission to make repeated withdrawals from an elderly family member’s bank account.

Richard C. Kulp, 66, Linton, was taken into custody on Monday, February 18, by Officer Debbie McDonald of the Linton Police Department.

Kulp was arrested on a warrant issued after an investigation by Officer McDonald, with assistance from the Indiana State Police, that started back last December when another family member reported they found numerous suspicious withdrawals on the bank account.

In addition to getting records from the bank, Officer McDonald interviewed the account holder as well as family members. Kulp did not cooperate. One family member told McDonald that Kulp had a gambling problem.

The account holder was Kulp’s mother-in-law. Kulp and his wife (daughter of the account holder) live with the account holder.

Officer McDonald reported the withdrawals started in February of 2016 and continued through the end of that year. In 2016, there were 20 withdrawals totaling $3,300.

In 2017, there were 65 withdrawals totaling $14,160.

In 2018, there were 51 withdrawals totaling $14,060.

In those years, the withdrawals were made during every month of the year and most were for $300, the maximum amount that could be withdrawn at the bank’s ATM machine.

The account was at First Financial Bank in Linton and Officer McDonald contacted them to request records and any video or photos from the cameras installed on the ATM machine where the withdrawals were made. The bank did provide still photos from transactions. McDonald reported the photos do show Kulp using his mother-in-law’s debit card to make the withdrawals from the bank’s ATM machine.

A criminal case was filed against Kulp on Friday, February 15, and a warrant for his arrest was issued the same day. He was arrested on Monday, February 18, and booked into the Greene County Jail where his bond was set at $4,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. Kulp posted $400 cash and was released later the same day.

When Kulp appeared in Greene Superior Court for his initial hearing on Monday, February 25, he was charged with theft where the value of the property is between $750 and $50,000, a Level 6 felony.