A number of checks have been stolen from mail boxes located at a local Connecticut post office and a nearby grocery store.

According to the Wolcott Police Department, an investigation was launched after five separate complaints were filed from residents claim to have mailed out checks which were then stolen, altered and cashed by thieves.

Police say the investigation turned up evidence that some type of mechanism was used to pull mail out of the US Postal boxes that were located just outside of both the Wolcott Post Office and Pat's IGA grocery, which is just across the street.

The residents affected by the thefts say that they were notified by their banks that once the mailed checks were stolen, they were altered so that the written amounts were increased and the names of the recipients were changed.

The Wolcott PD says that similar thefts are also happening in towns throughout the state and recommend that rather than use the outdoor boxes to mail checks, citizens physically walk into the post office and put them in an inside box, which are much safer.

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