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Indian River County mailbox break-in costs man $15,000

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A break-in at a U.S. Postal Service mailbox in Indian River County earlier this month resulted in two forged checks and thousands of dollars stolen from a local resident's bank account.

The Indian River County Sheriff's Office said the victim put two envelopes containing two checks inside a mailbox, located at 8500 20th Street near Vero Beach, on April 15. 

The checks, one in the amount of $11,464 and the other for $14,785, were written and made out to the Department of Treasury.

However, the man said he received a call from Bank of America on April 19 stating that he had two large checks withdrawn from his account.

He then checked his bank statement and noticed the amounts that had been withdrawn were altered to $7,464 and $7,785.

The Indian River County resident said he contacted the U.S. Postal Service, who told him about a break-in that occurred sometime late April 15 or early April 16 at the same location where he dropped off the checks.

The manager said someone drilled through the lock of the mailbox to gain access. No surveillance cameras were in place at the time of the heist, but the manager said they are now in the process of installing them around the building. 

The sheriff's office said no arrests have been made in the case.