Mail, Check Fraud Incidents Increase

Mail fraud and check theft have been plaguing cities from Oxnard to Goleta recently. Police recently caught two women on bank video who were in possession of checks stolen from mailboxes and were asking bank customers to please help them. They claimed they had no identification and were not customers of the bank; they would plead for help in cashing the check. Anyone with information is asked to call Santa Barbara Police at (805) 897-2327. Citizens are reminded to halt mail when on vacation, pick up checks at the bank, give mail directly to the post office, and to secure mailboxes with a lock.