MEQUON, Wis. — A Mequon resident is warning others after thieves stole her check from a local post office drop box, altered it, and cashed it for about 20 times the original amount.
Bonnie Barkan discovered her roughly $150 check had been stolen in June, when she checked her bank account online and found an unauthorized withdrawal for more than $3,000. That's more than 20 times the original amount.
"I just figured they were slow on cashing it. It was a quarterly payment," Barkan said. "When I went on my app and saw this amount on the check that was cashed, I panicked."
The Mequon Police Department says that several victims like Barkan have come forward with similar issues. In total, thieves have stolen more than $21,000 from local residents, with all checks being cashed out of state.
The thefts trace back to early April, when police say criminals smashed a mail drop box outside the Mequon area's main post office, in nearby Thiensville.
Barkan has since moved her money into a new account. She is currently working with her bank to recover the stolen money. TMJ4 reached out to Associated Bank, who says they are working on the issue.
Watch: Mequon family seeks out TMJ4 after check stolen from post office drop box, cashed for $3,000
"We are working with our customer to address this situation and out of respect for an ongoing situation will not disclose additional details," a spokesperson said.
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Her daughter April came to TMJ4 Let's Talk session several months ago, and encouraged her mom to share her story in order to help others.
"It's not just the fact that I'm upset at not getting my money back. It's the fact that making people aware what can happen," Barkan said. "Use gel pens, and write as few checks as possible."
She now advises others to take precautions, like to take mail into the post office, especially mail with sensitive information or money inside.
Police are continuing to investigate the case and are searching for suspects.
TMJ4 also reached out to the US Postal Inspection Service for comment, but we did not immediately hear back.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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