PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Authorities are reminding citizens that thefts from mailboxes are on the rise, as officials in Chester County say one arrest has uncovered nearly $1 million in fraudulent checks.
Tredyffrin Township Police Lieutenant Tyler Moyer said late last year, they were getting a lot of reports that checks sent through the mail – either as gifts or to pay bills – weren’t getting where they were supposed to go.
He said that in late November, an officer on patrol saw a car around the mail box outside the post office.
The two men in the car were arrested.
“After they served the search one on the car, they found 650 checks in that car," said Moyer.
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"They would wash the checks and use a solution to get the the ink off of them, and then they reissue them.”
Tyler added that an ongoing investigation including detectives and the postal inspector has about 90 people involved in the ring on various levels.
“They estimate right now that they're up close to $1 million in the number of checks that were reissued and cashed or deposited," said Moyer.
Moyer's recommendations are to pay as many bills as you can safely online. If you have to mail a check, don't use your mailbox.
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“If you're going to send a check in the mail, use the internal mailbox inside of the post office," Moyer said.
"That's that's the best practice to do right now. I wouldn't use those external mailboxes.”
Two men have been charged in Treddyfrin Township. Police are searching for Zidane Gallimore.
Bruno Nyanue is in custody, facing more than 2,000 felony charges including identity theft, theft, and conspiracy.
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