A bank account holding funds for the Okolona Rural Volunteer Fire Department was compromised in the past month and drained of more than $17,000.

Okolona Mayor Sarah Cox this week filed a theft report with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office after discovering that $17,151 had been pilfered from the fire department’s account at Southern Bancorp.

Sheriff Jason Watson told arkadelphian.com that the thefts began in early April and continued up until the discovery was made on May 21, 2024, at which time the account was closed.

Each of the transactions (there were fewer than 10) was completed electronically and originated in the San Antonio, Texas, area. The sheriff’s office has subpoenaed an office supply company for information to aid in the investigation, Watson said. If a suspect is named and is indeed from the San Antonio area, local authorities will seek extradition.

Though likely to be reimbursed, a five-digit theft is a major blow to a rural volunteer department. “It would be considered a very big theft for any fire department in rural Arkansas,” Watson said. “Our rural volunteer fire departments work hard with a limited amount of money.”