A nearly one-mile police chase Wednesday afternoon through DeKalb ended with the arrest of four Chicago-area residents who allegedly are part of a ring that has been passing fake checks throughout the Chicago area.

Police said they received a call of a woman attempting to pass a fraudulent check for $6,675 at Castle Bank, 1007 N. First St.

When police arrived at the bank, they witnessed Lori Ann McGee, of Chicago, get in a car with three other individuals before the car pulled away, DeKalb Police Sgt. Gary Spangler said.

Police followed as the car accelerated, taking them on a chase that ended 0.8 miles later in front of Castle Bank’s Lincoln Highway branch, 141 W. Lincoln Highway.

Spangler entered the pursuit near Clinton Rosette Middle School, 650 N. First St.

“They wouldn’t stop,” Spangler said. It was not a high-speed chase, he said.

One of the passengers allegedly told the driver not to stop, Spangler said.

The car finally stopped, and the suspects surrendered without incident. The driver of the vehicle, Martell D. Thomas, of Chicago, was arrested and charged with forgery and fleeing to elude police. Other passengers, Annie R. Earls, of Chicago; Nicholas D. Jones, of Calumet City; and McGee also were arrested. They are charged with forgery.

The check they allegedly attempted to pass was a replicated business check, Spangler said. The four people allegedly are part of a Chicagoland ring that has been passing fake checks for some time, Spangler said. It is the first time they have come this far west, Spangler said.

The four suspects are being held at the DeKalb County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail as of press time.

Forgery is a Class 3 felony punishable by two to five years in jail.

Further investigation into the alleged forgery ring is pending.