A Joliet woman has been charged with theft in connection with the embezzlement of $500,000 from a spring manufacturing company.

According to Cook County prosecutors, 46-year-old Martha Soto was in charge of bookkeeping for the Mohawk Spring Corp. in Schiller Park. She allegedly falsified invoices as accounts payable to a legitimate vendor, but would write checks payable to her.

Prosecutors allege Soto intercepted the company's bank statements and destroyed copies of the checks she wrote to herself. The scheme allegedly began in 2005.

Authorities say Mohawk officials grew suspicious of Soto earlier this year after a review of her computer activity, and contacted police.

In a bond hearing Friday, Judge Bridget Hughes set bail for Soto at $75,000 and continued the case to Nov. 20.