A former Kailua church employee who allegedly stole $33,000 by cashing church checks made out to phony charities was arrested in Pennsylvania yesterday following her indictment on numerous charges last week, police said.

Kimberly Wheeler, 38, who for 14 months served as office manager for Windward Unity Church on Mo'okua Street, was indicted Aug. 8 on one count of first-degree theft, three counts of second-degree theft and one count of second-degree identity theft.

Police have also opened a second-degree identity theft case after investigators learned Wheeler allegedly applied for numerous credit cards in her daughter's name and made more than $2,000 worth of purchases.

Wheeler's daughter filed a complaint with police, and officers are investigating.

Kimberly Wheeler was arrested yesterday by officers with the Millcreek Township police department in Erie, Pa., on a $50,000 bench warrant issued by an O'ahu Circuit Court judge.

Honolulu city prosecutors are in the process of filing extradition papers, and Wheeler will be brought back to O'ahu. Wheeler, a member of the Kailua church's 150-member congregation for three years, moved to Erie two months ago.

She is accused of writing checks, some as high as $2,000, from the church's accounts to nonexistent charities and later cashing the checks for personal use.

The fake charities supposedly were to benefit causes from Hurricane Katrina aid to the homeless, police said.

Wheeler, who was paid $10 an hour, is also accused of taking out a credit card in the name of Rev. David McClure and using it to take her children to Disney World, police said.

She also allegedly used the church's credit to open a line of credit with a computer company and used it to buy computers for her children, police said.

The church became suspicious of Wheeler when they noticed she had written herself a $250 check out of the church's general fund, saying she had been underpaid for work she performed.

Church officials told police the general fund is never used for payroll.

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.