PATASKALA, Ohio — Neighbors in the Brooksedge neighborhood of Pataskala said their mail has been getting stolen for the last few months.
The Pataskala Police Department said they believe the suspect is driving a four-door white sedan with a black back bumper.
“He steals the mail. It takes about 10 seconds for him to see it, take the mail and take off and leave,” said Sergeant Michael Reitz.
The suspect is trying to steal checks and cash them. Reitz said they don’t know if every check is successfully cashed but they are investigating and following each one that is reported.
“He’s washing the check with a solution, washing the ink off of it and forging the check. Then attempting to have people cash it at banks all over central Ohio,” Reitz said.
Police said right now they don’t know how many victims there ae because some people may not know their checks have been stolen.
Kim Roth and her husband are two of the victims.
“The mail came and went a few days later my husband contacted me and said, ‘Hey, did we spend this much money in our account or write a check for that. I’m like, 'No, I don’t think so,’” said Roth. “The check was originally for $24.99 and then the amount take out of our account was $2,300,” she added.
After her check was stolen, they had to change their bank account and the way they now pay their bills.
“We are doing our banking and paying checks online as opposed to putting stuff in the mail. It was very frustrating because now we have to change the way we do things,” said Roth.
Pataskala police said to avoid getting your check stolen, take it directly to the post office, do an electronic transfer or use a gel pen to make it hard for a thief to wash off the amount.