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Published on 06/16/1997 All articles from this issue

Thieves cash in on checks left in local mailboxes

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By Joanne Griffith Domingue / Town Crier Staff Writer

Even though he had three checks stolen from his mailbox, Dinesh Desai feels like a lucky guy.

That's because this Los Altos resident noticed almost immediately when his checks were gone.

Before the thieves could "wash" the checks and rewrite them for large amounts, "I stopped payment and I closed the whole account," Desai said.

Here's what happened.

He paid his bills, put the letters in his box and put up the flag. Later, when he went out to add another letter to the box, and the mail was gone, he knew something had happened. And he was able to take immediate action to protect himself.

Others in Los Altos have not been so lucky.

There have been six instances of out-going checks stolen from mailboxes, all in the Highlands Circle area, since mid-May, said Noreen Sorg, community service officer with the Los Altos Police Department.

"We think the checks are being 'washed,'" Sorg said, "where all the writing, except the bank coding, is removed."

One resident had written a check for $1,087. But it cleared the bank as $4,100, Sorg said.

Most wouldn't realize the fraud for at least a month until their next bank statement comes.

So putting out mail and putting up the flag is like announcing to the thief where the mail is.

Those who steal the mail often carry a canvas bag and pose as someone walking a neighborhood delivering advertising fliers.

Then if someone looks out and sees a person going along opening mailboxes, no suspicions are aroused.

Since three of the people who had their mail stolen found a Hispanic newspaper in their box in place of the mail, Los Altos police suspect the thieves are using the delivery ruse locally.

Mail your letters at work or at a big public box, Sorg advised. Along with a check the thief gets "your signature, your credit card number," as well as a check.

When Desai's new checks arrived, they came with a printed bank warning: "Prevent criminals from cashing in on your checks! Never leave your outgoing mail for pick-up in your mailbox or any unlocked mail collection box ..."

"I guess they (banks) have had enough trouble with this," Desai said.