LONGVIEW (KYTX) -- Reports of mail theft and car break-ins are up in Longview this summer compared to earlier this year, and police say the thieves are passing stolen checks at local businesses. CBS 19's Abby Broyles is live at the U.S. Post Office on McCann Road in Longview with important information to keep yourself from becoming a victim.
One of the easiest ways to fall victim to a thief is to mail a check from your mailbox at home. Instead, you should always go directly to the post office to mail a check. Police are also asking retailers to be more vigilant every time someone tries to pay with a check.
Investigators say you should think twice the next time you put a check in your own mailbox to be picked up by a postal worker. Chances are, police say, a thief could get there first.
"Thieves will just drive through a neighborhood and check mailboxes to see if there's mail in the mailbox," Officer Kristie Brian said.
That's how a Longview man had one of his checks stolen earlier this summer. Police say the thief passed it a couple weeks ago at the Ulta store on highway 259.
"He felt like they either washed his check or forged it somehow, they may have even gotten his information off and actually printed checks with their information on his bank account," Officer Brian said.
Police say store clerks should be asking at least one form ID when someone pays with a check. Small businesses owners we talked to Monday say they're taking extra safety measures this summer.
"We get their phone number, their address, we put that in our computer for our references too and get their driver's license if they're new," Karen Doyle said.
Karen Doyle has been a small business owner for nearly 10 years. She deals with about 30 customers a day, and still accepts checks, with caution.
"Their address, if I put it in the computer, if it matches what's on their check, then you're pretty safe, if they don't match, then a red flag goes up and you ask more questions," Doyle said.
Investigators say stolen checks are also related to car break-ins, and Longview police say they're getting reports of forgery almost every day.
"It's one of those crimes that, unfortunately, its easy to make your own checks and the bad guys know that - they go out and these businesses become victims," Officer Brian said.
Police say it's a good idea to get a P.O. Box if you can. If you're having checks mailed to you, you should never have them mailed directly to your house, instead you should pick them up at the post office.
If a thief does pass someone's stolen check, police say people should call their banks first to stop the payment immediately, then file a police report. Your bank will also want a copy of that report.
Police say you should also carefully monitor your bank statements, and shred them, along with deposit slips and old checks, before you throw them away.
