(La Porte County, IN) - A Westville area resident mailed a check that somehow was stolen and turned into a money maker for the thief.

 

 

According to La Porte County Police, the 78 year old woman reported the check made out for $126 was a payment on a debt she owed to a retail store.  It was put in the mail in late November.

 

Police said it appears the check while in route to the store was taken at some point and washed but the signature of the check owner remained.  The check was then made out to an individual for over $4,800 and cashed less than a month later at a bank in Louisiana, police said.

 

Police said the fraudulent activity wasn’t discovered until the woman checked her bank statement and noticed the higher amount on the check had been withdrawn from her account.