PITTSTON — A man from Duryea charged with stealing funds from the Germania Hose Co. was arraigned Monday on allegations he stole more than $14,000 from the now defunct Duryea Ambulance Association.

Duryea police allege Eric John Wruble, 43, of Swetland Street, wrote 25 checks from the ambulance association to himself totaling $14,059.50 from May to December 2012. The theft was discovered while investigating missing funds at the Germania Hose Co. at which Wruble was accused in November with stealing more than $102,000 from the first responder agency.

The ambulance association closed due to a lack of funds to pay bills in 2013, court records say.

Police said Wruble was treasurer at Germania Hose Co. and the ambulance association when he allegedly stole money.

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According to the criminal complaint:

Police investigating missing funds at Germania Hose Co. served search warrants at financial institutions for Wruble’s bank statements.

When Wruble was interviewed regarding the theft of funds at the hose company, he denied stealing money from the ambulance association.

Police in November received documents from People’s Security Bank for the ambulance association that showed 25 checks from May 4, 2012 to Dec. 16, 2012, were written to Wruble totaling $14,059.50. Police said there were 37 checks from Feb. 3, 2012 to Jan. 23, 2013, that had forged signatures.

Wruble wrote in the “Memo” section “sewer repair,” “roof repair” and “water heater repairs” on ambulance association checks, identical to the checks he issued to himself from the hose company, the complaint says.

Wruble was arraigned by District Judge Alexandra Kokura Kravitz in Pittston on 37 counts of forgery, 25 counts of access device fraud and one count each of theft and receiving stolen property. He was released on $50,000 unsecured bail.

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By Ed Lewis

elewis@timesleader.com