A 35-year-old Visalia woman was charged with fraud, identify theft and drug possession after being arrested in the Mooney Boulevard Walmart parking lot at 3:40 a.m., on Friday, May 4. When police found her there, she apparently had as much as $95,000 worth of uncashed checks in her possession.
When questioned by police about where she had gotten the checks from, she reportedly told police that she’d used a special tool to burglarize mailboxes at at least one local post office. She also apparently told police that she spent months frequenting these receptacles around the first of every month.
She allegedly confided in police that she’d commit the theft then because she knew that’s when most people were mailing in checks as they paid their bills. She also reportedly told officers that she’d use any number of approaches to alter the check’s payee and then eventually cash them herself.
Police have described the amount of stolen mail pieces found in the woman’s vehicle upon her arrest as significant. Since the woman’s arrest, police have been working feverishly to let the woman’s many victims know about the thefts.
As the investigation into the theft continues, other charges may be brought related to the woman having having previously cashed checks prior to being caught.
It’s unclear what else was discovered in the woman’s vehicle that led her to be charged with drug possession. Police haven’t yet said whether the woman has previously been arrested for any related crimes either.
If you’ve been arrested on suspicion of having committed fraud, burglary, theft or any other crimes, then a Visalia attorney can advise you of potential penalties you’re facing in your respective case.
Source: Fresno Bee, “Woman arrested for allegedly stealing $95,000 in uncashed checks from mailboxes,” Carmen George, May 09, 2018