Woman charged with stealing

Bank robbery leads to arrest

By: Stephanie Brown
   MONROE — An Englishtown woman has been charged with stealing $16,000 from the Sovereign Bank on Applegarth Road where she worked, police said.
   Karin Sharenow, 38, of Carriage Lane, sold annuities at Sovereign Bank as a financial relationship specialist when, police said, she took $6,000 from the bank’s vault on Oct. 17 and then an additional $10,000 two days later.
   Detective Sgt. Lawrence Linke said the bank had conducted an internal investigation, but contacted Monroe Township Police on Nov. 1 when the case couldn’t be resolved.
   Detectives Louis Winn and Robert Bennett conducted an investigation, and charged Ms. Sharenow at 7:09 p.m. that day, police said.
   Detective Linke said part of the investigation included determining who had access to the vault on the days the money was stolen, and interviewing those employees.
   Ms. Sharenow was taken to police headquarters where she "cooperated fully," said Detective Linke.
   Ms. Sharenow returned $5,700 of the stolen money, and she claims to have spent the rest, Detective Linke said.
   Ms. Sharenow was released on her own recognizance. Sovereign bank could not say if Ms. Sharenow had been fired.