Don't leave checks in the mailbox!

There have been multiple reports in the last week of mail being stolen from the porches and mailboxes of residences in the area. As a result, our mail carrier has suggested that we not leave our mail out to be picked up, at least for the time being.

One of our neighbors was a recent victim of mail theft. He said he heard someone come up his front steps and open the mailbox; and when he went to investigate he saw a Latin American male leaving the property. Later, he received notice that checks that he had written to pay bills had been used fraudulently. In one case, a check had been "washed" and the payee and amount were both altered. The check was successfully cashed at a casino. An attempt was made to cash another check of his that had also been stolen from his mailbox and altered, but in that case the perpetrator fled when a bank teller became suspicious.

Consider this posting a word to the wise.