BLUEFIELD — A Mercer County woman has been arrested for embezzling a “substantial amount of money” from a well-established Bluefield business, officials and the company owner confirmed Saturday.

Roseanna Coomes, 66, of Brushfork, a 40-year employee of Cole Truck Parts, was arrested Friday and charged with embezzlement, Detective Kenny Adams, with the Bluefield Police Department, said.

“She’s been stealing from them for quite some time,” Adams said. “We were first alerted to the incident on Friday when the owner of the business came in (to report the crime).”

Tom Cole, former, recent mayor of Bluefield, is the owner of the business.

Cole confirmed Coomes allegedly embezzled a “substantial” amount of money.

Adams said Coomes was not “living large,” and did not have “a whole lot of money” in her bank account.

“She’s a little ol’ senior citizen who walks with a cane,” Adams said. “You never would have guessed it.”

Adams said the alleged embezzlement charges go back several years.

Cole also confirmed that Coomes worked in the company’s corporate headquarters in the accounting department.

Adams said additional charges may be pending, and more arrests in the case may be made.

He said Coomes has been terminated from the company.

Cole declined to comment further pending adjudication of the case.

Adams said the case could be moved to federal court because of the use of the banking system in commission of the alleged crime.

Coomes was arraigned Friday night before Mercer County Magistrate Susan Honaker. She is currently free on $25,000 bond.

“This is the largest embezzlement case I’ve worked,” Adams said.

Cole Truck Parts has four locations throughout West Virginia and Virginia.

— Contact Samantha Perry at sperry@bdtonline.com