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Residents on Chicago's North Side say someone's stealing their checks from the mail

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Updated  September 3, 2022 9:59pm CDT
Edgebrook
FOX 32 Chicago

Residents on Chicago's North Side say someone's stealing their checks from the mail

Some residents of Chicago's Edgebrook neighborhood say their checks are being stolen out of a mailbox, erased and re-written for astronomical sums. Nate Rodgers reports.

CHICAGO - Some residents of Chicago's Edgebrook neighborhood say their checks are being stolen out of a mailbox, erased and re-written for astronomical sums.

Sargon Debaz said he mailed a $400 check, and days later the bank flagged him about a $12,500 attempted payment on it.

"I got lucky," Debaz said.

We met a senior citizen who told us she mailed two checks in the mailbox at Devon and Le Mai, and when she got her bank statement, she found the checks had been re-written and a $7,000 withdrawn.

Norridge residents warned of check washing scheme, mail thefts from USPS boxes

Checks that have been stolen from the mail are being washed and the thieves are writing in different names for the recipients before cashing them, according to police.

FOX 32 Chicago has also heard from victims in Sauganash, Forest Glen and Lincolnwood.

Recently, residents of Norridge were warned of what are called "check washing schemes" after surveillance video showed thieves breaking into a mailbox near the police department.