Woman arrested on suspicion of forgery

Police arrested an 18-year-old woman on Sept. 26 on suspicion of

stealing and signing more than $6,000 in Athena Day Spa credit card

checks.

Melissa Hesslink, who used to work at Laguna Surf, moved to Big

Bear after allegedly stealing a piece of Athena Day Spa mail that

contained American Express Card checks. The two businesses shared the

same mailroom.

Hesslink allegedly signed $6,167 in checks to herself and to her

boyfriend, 21-year-old Laguna Hills resident Joshua Brigham. Once

they went over $5,000, however, they had exceeded the credit limit

and couldn’t get any more money. Police arrested Brigham later that

day.

An Athena Day Spa employee reported a possible fraud to the police

on July 28 after receiving a notice from American Express that the

business had exceeded its credit limit. That was unusual because the

card was never used, the employee told police. Police traced the

stolen checks to Hesslink, who had been using the checks in the Big

Bear area.

She admitted her guilt to officers on Sept. 26 and was arrested on

suspicion of forgery, grand theft, identity theft, commercial

burglary and conspiracy to commit a crime. She is being held at

Orange County Jail on $50,000 bail.

Brigham, a security guard, was arrested on suspicion of grand

theft, commercial burglary and conspiracy to commit a crime and held

on $30,000 bail.