Thieves hit mailboxes in North Hills

It happened to John Rees, who has lived on Coronado Drive for 29 years. He stuck an envelope with a check for $150 in his mailbox Thursday. The next morning, he checked his bank account and was shocked to discover someone had cashed the check for $750.

"I immediately called the bank, and they immediately took it off our statement,” he said Wednesday.

That same day, on nearby Kimbrook Drive, the same thing happened at the home of Selby and Joyce Stokes. A notorized letter was stolen. Fortunately, it contained no sensitive information.

But a week later, it happened to them again.

“Flag still up, flap down, mail gone,” Selby Stokes recalled.

The mail was a condolence card and a congratulations card. The Stokes figured the thief thought there might be gift cards inside.

For now, if the Stokes need to mail something, they go to the post office.

“It’s just frustrating when you can’t use your mailbox,” Joyce Stokes said. “I’m not going to use it because I’m scared whatever I put in there is going to be taken out.”

John Rees echoed that sentiment and said sending mail just won't be the same.

“Unfortunately, we’re all thinking a little differently about putting checks in the mail,” he said.

Postal officials encourage people not to leave mail in their boxes for an extended period of time or put it in shortly before the carrier arrives.