American Canyon police got a break in a check fraud operation when a description of a suspect and her vehicle was broadcast over the police radio Tuesday.

The chain of events leading up to the arrest of Tawnya Richardson started when she attempted to pass a fraudulent check at a Napa bank. Police were notified, but Richardson left the bank.

“We heard the information over the police scanner and recognized the description of the car as belonging to Richardson,” American Canyon Police Sgt. Craig Nickles said.

Officers set out to patrol Highway 29, looking for Richardson’s car. “She lives in American Canyon, and we believed she might have left Napa and headed for home.” Nickles said.

Officers got lucky and spotted Richardson’s car on Highway 29, just north of American Canyon.

They pulled the car over and while searching the car found numerous fraudulent checks, Nickles said.

“She was printing the checks. I don’t have an exact figure, but the loss is in the tens of thousands of dollars,” he said.

Richardson, 20, was arrested on suspicion of forgery, burglary and petty theft.