NATCHEZ — When you move out of town, double check to make sure you brought the checkbook.

When Danny Lee Smith’s neighbor moved out of town and left the checkbook, Smith allegedly found it and wrote 14 checks, taking out approximately $30,000, Natchez Police Department’s Lt. Craig Godbold said.

Godbold said the police department is in the process of recovering the items Smith reportedly purchased, including a used Ford Explorer and Mustang, gold watches, earrings, TVs, a Blackberry phone and some cash. Godbold said approximately $10,000 is still unaccounted for.

Smith, 48, was recently arrested on charges of felony shoplifting, and he was arrested on 14 counts of uttering a forgery a day before his arraignment on the shoplifting charge.

“It made him pretty easy to find for his arraignment, since he was already sitting in jail,” Godbold said.

Smith lives at 402 Northview Drive.