By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – A 45-year-old Alabaster woman is being held in the Shelby County Jail on bonds totaling half a million dollars after she allegedly stole “at least $300,000” from her Alabaster employer over the course of the past two years, according to the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office.

The Alabaster Police Department arrested Rebecca Ann Norton, who lists an address on Chestnut Drive in Alabaster, on Aug. 14 and charged her with one felony count of first-degree theft of property and three felony counts of second-degree possession of a forged instrument.

According to her arrest warrants, Norton allegedly stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from an Alabaster-based company between August 2013 and this month.

During an Aug. 17 interview, Alabaster Police Chief Curtis Rigney said Norton was a bookkeeper at the company, and said the department is still investigating the situation.

“There is a possibility there will be additional charges,” Rigney said. “We are trying to track down the exact amount of money. It’s going to be an extensive investigation on our end.”

Her possession of a forged instrument charges came after she allegedly made multiple company checks out to herself on May 26, July 7, 2014, and June 24, 2014.

Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Dan Reeves set Norton’s bond higher than normal at the request of the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office. In a bond recommendation request, the District Attorney’s Office claimed more charges may come against Norton in the future, and claimed the suspect would be a flight risk if released from jail.

“Although only four cases are made at this point, many more are potentially forthcoming,” read the bond recommendation form. “The defendant is believed to have significant resources which would assist in fleeing the area and making herself unavailable for court.”

Norton pleaded guilty to one count of fraudulent use of a credit or debit card in April 2009, and received three years on probation, according to Circuit Court records.

First-degree theft of property is a Class B felony. If convicted, Norton could face up to 20 years in prison.

As of Aug. 17, Norton remained in the Shelby County Jail on bonds totaling $500,000.