MIDDLEBURY — Police are investigating several reports of mail theft in Middlebury.
Police say individuals are “fishing” in USPS blue collection boxes for mail that may contain checks.
The perpetrators drop a weighted device coated with a sticky substance into the collection box and retrieve mail.
They are reportedly looking for checks and may discard any envelopes not containing checks.
Police say once they are able to get the checks, they treat the ink on the checks with a chemical to “wash” the checks.
They cover the payee’s name and amount and are able to cash the checks before the payee realizes they have been diverted.
These incidents have occurred in Middlebury, at collection boxes in East Middlebury, and in town.
Anyone who has dropped a check in the mail at a blue collection box recently, confirm with the intended recipient that they have received the check, police say.
