RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — Businesses in Riviera Beach claim to be the latest victims of check washing thieves. They said thousands of dollars was stolen right out of their mail box.
"It could put a small company out of business, it really could,” Terri Delacruz, administrator for NOVA Air Condition, said.
Delacruz first noticed checks were missing in late November.
“We had a costumer that said they sent out like four different checks for four different invoices," she said. "We only got one."
Then one of their customers noticed the check had been cashed.
"She said, 'Oh no. They altered it. It's made payable to somebody else's name,'" Delacruz said.
A couple doors down from them, Palm Beach Fire Equipment owner Daniel Harris, who uses the same community mailbox, had a similar story.
"I've had two checks that were washed for just shy of $30,000,” Harris said. "It's a mess, because I've had to close out my checking account that we've had for about 37 years. I had to contact all my vendors that I make payments to, and then all my customers that wire me money for payment."
United States Postal Service Inspector Ivan Ramirez said they are currently investigating these incidents, but he said it will take time.
"Its unfortunate and we understand the business owners frustration. As investigators, it is extremely frustrating for us, because sometimes it's a lengthy process," Ramirez said. "Without that evidence, we really have nothing to present before a prosecutor.”
Some check washing victims have brought up the possibility of changing locks. Ramirez said they might not help.
"We don't know if they actually have an actual key, or something that's a made-up key," he said.
Ramirez said the criminals responsible for the check washing in Riviera Beach could be the same ones doing it in Palm Beach County and across the state.