Police: Mail thief steals $175,000 check

ATLANTA (FOX 5 Atlanta) - Police said a mail thief made off with six figures totaling more than $175,000, after stealing a check from a victim's mailbox and depositing it into a fraudulent account.

Police released ATM surveillance of the man in hopes the public can identify him and help police capture him.

Fraud investigators use the case to remind the public during this holiday season to be wary of how holiday thieves can easily steal items such as checks and sensitive information from mailboxes.

Investigators said the theft occurred sometime in early July from the mailbox of a residence on Park Lane NE in Atlanta. Police believe the man in the surveillance video had been already stealing mail from residents when he encountered the large check.

The victim, FOX 5 learned, is a financial executive; no word on why such a large check was mailed to his residence in the first place.

The victim reported the crime late July after a bank notified him of a fraudulent attempt to open a bank account.

Police said the thief used the $175,776 check to open an online business account. Police said through a series of withdrawals and purchases, all the money was taken.

Police advise residents with mailboxes to take the following precautions to protect their sensitive information and packages during the holiday season:

Anyone with information on the man in the surveillance is asked to call Atlanta Police. Tipsters can also contact Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS.