Staples Office Products in Hermitage and Software Etc. at the Shenango Valley Mall in Hermitage both were victims of forgery and theft in March after someone used stolen checks to buy more than $2,000 in merchandise.

State police said they have suspects, but aren't releasing the names until further investigation. According to police, two unidentified people stole checks from two residents in New York City. One thief went to Software Etc. on March 4 and bought $853.24 worth of merchandise. The other went to Staples and bought $1,568.74 worth of merchandise.

The same two committed identical crimes at a Staples store and a computer store in Clarion on March 4, making off with $2,778.96 worth of items, police said. On March 5, they went to a computer store in DuBois and Wal-Mart stores in Clearfield, Mill Hall and Bloomsburg, Pa. taking at least $1,000 in merchandise from each, police said. Identical crimes were also committed in New Jersey, New Hampshire and Connecticut, exceeding about $20,000 in merchandise.