HONOLULU (KHON2) — Three Big Island people have been arrested and charged with multiple financial crimes after allegedly using checks stolen from a mailbox.
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According to police, the incident occurred in February when the victim’s bank alerted them to suspicious activity on nine personal checks drawn.
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HPD said the victim was expecting delivery of a new checkbook but never received it.
The victim also reported that the door to his mailbox had been left open several times during January and he believed the checks had been stolen.
Eleven thousand dollars: That’s the amount Hawaii County Sheriff Rio Amon-Wilkins said three people were able to deposit into their accounts using counterfeit checks they allegedly stole from the Big Island woman’s mailbox in January.
A 25-year-old man, a 48-year-old woman and a 49-year-old man have been arrested and charged with multiple counts of robbery, identity theft and forgery.
“It’s good to hold these guys accountable,” Amon-Wilkins said. “Eleven thousand dollars is a lot of money. And fortunately, the victim in this case was able to recover that money from the financial institution. Unfortunately, that is not always the case.”
But he said cases of mail theft happen too often.
Dale Dixon, Better Business Bureau Chief Innovation Officer: “Unfortunately, an unlocked mailbox is an open door for a thief,” explained Dale Dixon, Better Business Bureau Chief Innovation Officer. “Today, it is very important that we all take personal responsibility and take as many steps as possible to protect our information.”
Police advise residents to install locked mailboxes in their homes to prevent theft of incoming mail.
Many of them will cost you $100 or more, but Dixon said it’s worth it to have peace of mind.
“When you take into account the cost, the emotional turmoil, having stolen checks, the financial cost of having stolen checks, what happened to the bank accounts, having a closed box, whether through a post office or buying a Locking mailbox and Nailing anything to make it difficult for a potential thief to access is really important,” Dixon explained.
City Mill Supervisor Curtis Radcliff said people come in at least twice a week looking for closed boxes.
“They come to us and it’s like trying to find ways to protect their mail because they say people have been taking their mail there,” Radcliff said.
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Dixon also suggests signing up to receive delivery notifications by mail; It’s free from the USPS and takes advantage of other online services offered by banks. If you need checks delivered, have them delivered to your bank. They can let you know when they arrive.
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