A person commits a crime... then what? What is the actual process?

Years and years ago, 24 to be exact, I went into a persons house (that I knew) and took some blank checks. I then filled them out payable to another person and she cashed them, then gave me the money. So it was my writing on the check, but payable to her and she using her id to cash them. Total was not over $500 for all the checks writen, I don't think.
Friends then turned me into the police dept. and the person I stole the checks from originally was contacted. That's all I know. In the middle of all that, I moved and have not returned to that area.
I was never arrested (because they didn't know where I was), so would that mean I was never charged? Or with witnesses does that mean there is enough information to file charges? What is the actual process of being charged? Does a person commit a crime, get arrested, get charged with the crime in court, then sentenced?
Not real sure how all this works.