NY Man Arrested for Burglary, Theft After Mail Scam in Merrimack

MERRIMACK, NH — Police believe they have a man who has was involved in burglary and mail scams in town after a quick thinking resident called police after receiving unusual mail and men coming to her home asking for the mail, according to police. Charles A. Washington, 21, of Ulster Avenue in Walden, NY, was arrested on Sept. 27, 2016, for burglary, theft, and receiving stolen property.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Merrimack Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the name removal request process for NH Patch police reports.

At around 2 p.m. on the day in question, police were sent to a home in the North End for a report of a man pounding on the front door of a home, demanding a woman turn over mail to him that he been sent to the address, according to Detective Scott Park.

“The homeowner who remained on the phone with police dispatch indicated the male had now moved to another door to the single family home and forced his way into the home and removed two packages which had been sent to the victim’s home by who police believe is a very organized criminal entity out of New York,” according to the report. “Officers quickly arrived on scene and stopped the suspect who fled the area with the items he had just taken from inside the home. Merrimack Police arrested Charles Washington of Walden, New York, and he has been charged with a Class B felony burglary, and multiple counts of receiving stolen property.”

Police requested a search warrant for the packages that Washington allegedly had in his possession and in a vehicle – with Maryland plates – that he had rented.

“Detectives discovered a credit card inside one of the packages with the identity of a victim out of the state of California who likely had no idea his personal information had been stolen by Washington and likely a number of other individuals behind this ongoing and very calculating criminal enterprise,” Park alleged. “Police later discovered that the balance on the fraudulently issued credit card was $17,000.”

Washington was held on $25,000 cash bail and has a probable cause hearing on Oct. 6.

Merrimack Police are reminding residents to be very alert to this continuing situation. In just the last six weeks, police have been informed by a number of residents that they have received envelopes and or small packages with their actual address, but with a different name.

“Police suspect that this organization is using stolen personal information from unknowing victims from all over the country and opening up credit cards with very exorbitant expenditure limits and having the cards delivered to random homes throughout Merrimack and likely surrounding towns and cities,” according to Park. “Suspects are seemingly tracking the deliveries through either UPS or the U.S. Postal Service of these credit cards and have a very good idea as to when they are delivered which allows the suspect to grab the package before the homeowner is ever away of the delivery.”

Police are also reminding citizens to contact police immediately should they receive a package under these circumstances. Based on eye witness accounts of other similar incidents, police believe that there are many other suspects other than Washington who are working the area and are involved in this identity theft, according to Park.