New Canaan Sees Uptick In Mail Theft, Check Washing: Police

NEW CANAAN, CT — Police are warning residents to protect themselves in light of an uptick in mail theft-related crimes in New Canaan.

In a Facebook post Wednesday, police said the department has noticed an increase in thefts from residential mailboxes in town.

Specifically, thieves are stealing checks from mailboxes and engaging in "check washing," a process that involves erasing details from checks to allow them to be rewritten, typically for criminal purposes such as fraudulent withdrawal from the victim's bank account, according to police.

Residents are urged to protect themselves from these crimes by bringing their mail directly to a post office for mailing.

"It may be slightly inconvenient," police said on Facebook, "but the prevention of this criminal act is very easy."

Further information can be found here.