Men stole over $400,000 from Illinois mailboxes using stolen master key, feds say
Four men stole more than $400,000 worth of checks from mailboxes in Illinois, federal officials said.
The men now face multiple federal charges, according to an Aug. 23 news release from the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois.
An attorney for one of the men declined to comment when contacted by McClatchy News, while two other attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The group allegedly stole a master key from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), which gave them access to a number of mailboxes in Carbondale, officials said.
Using the key, they swiped envelopes from more than 50 Carbondale residents over four months in 2020, officials said.
They then modified more than 100 checks contained in the envelopes, including changing the amount to be paid, officials said.
Officials said the men also contacted individuals through social media and asked for access to their bank accounts, telling them they could make money by doing so.
After transferring money into the accounts of co-conspirators, the funds were then wired into accounts belonging to the four men, officials said.
The men, all of whom are Illinois residents in their 20s, have now been charged with bank fraud, theft of mail and identity theft, among other charges.
Three have been taken into custody, while one— Demarius Flakes, 29 — is wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service.
To curtail a rise in mail theft, the USPS is installing 12,000 secure collection boxes across the country and replacing nearly 50,000 “antiquated” arrow locks, or master locks, according to Reuters.
To protect yourself against mail theft, the USPS recommends collecting mail promptly, avoiding sending cash in the mail and requesting a signature when sending something valuable.
Carbondale is about 170 miles south of Springfield.
This story was originally published August 24, 2023 at 2:19 PM with the headline "Men stole over $400,000 from Illinois mailboxes using stolen master key, feds say."