Outgoing Mail Stolen From 2 San Anselmo Homes
SAN ANSELMO (BCN) - The San Anselmo Police Department is investigating two recent mail thefts that both occurred on the same block near the San Rafael border, once in August and once this week.
In both instances, the thief attempted to steal checks from outgoing mail that was left in residential mailboxes in the 300 block of Greenfield Avenue, police said.
Police are recommending residents take proactive steps to avoid becoming a victim of such mail thefts by not leaving outgoing mail in their personal mailboxes and not leaving mail out in the mailbox overnight.
A safer way to send mail would be to drop outgoing mail in a U.S Postal Service box drop or to take it to a post office for mailing, police advised.
The first case of purloined mail occurred on Aug. 1, police said. The suspect allegedly stole outgoing mail from a curbside mailbox, then removed checks from the mail and discarded the envelopes, police said.
Using a process known as "whitewashing," the suspect apparently removed the recipient names and amounts from the checks, police said. The thief was then able to cash the stolen checks after filling them out with different names and amounts, police said.
The second incident of outgoing mail being stolen from a mailbox on that block took place on Wednesday, police said. Within an hour of its being stolen, the pilfered mail was found discarded on Calumet Avenue, about a mile away from the targeted block, police said.
The suspect did remove several checks from the second victim's mail, but because it was located so quickly the victim was able to place stop payments on the checks before the thief could cash them, police said.
Police are asking residents to report any suspicious activity or information relating to these thefts to the San Anselmo Police Department by calling (415) 258-4610.
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