$100,000 stolen in checks from Rocky Mount post office since January, business owner says

On Monday, a Rocky Mount business said nearly $100,000 worth of their checks has been stolen from inside a post office since January.

The business owner, who wished to remain anonymous, said the latest theft happened just last week.

"This all first started with us back in January," the business owner said. "We had a check that we'd written in the middle part of January that we had found out, from a person in our business or our accounting department, that had been intercepted after we mailed it, the name lifted and it was deposited into a bank in Savannah, Georgia."

According to the business owner, the check stealing is happening at the post office in the Westridge Shopping Center on Sunset Avenue.

The business owner is not the only person who's had this happen to them at the post office either.

In April, WRAL News reported a church in Rocky Mount had $15,000 stolen from forged checks at the same post office.

“Luckily, one of the check numbers that we used had already been used by us, so the bank kicked it. If not, that one would have gone through, as well,” said William Earp, the lead pastor of the church.

According to Earp, the check was initially set for a small amount. However, the bank told Earp that the thieves duplicated the original check at least three times. They then changed who the check was addressed to and increased the total amount. Two checks from the church were successfully cashed.

Earp said the church was able to get it's money back.

Ken Burnette, a resident in Rocky Mount, said his check to the IRS was also stolen from the post office in April.

The US Postal Inspector's Office said it was investigating the thefts and Burnette got his $15,000 back, but residents in Rocky Mount still want answers for why it's still happening.

"What should be safer than going to your local post office and putting a check in the mail?" Burnette asked.

It's a sentiment business owners in Rocky Mount share.

"We're just tired," one business owner explained. "We're tired of having to open and close our bank accounts."

While at the post office, WRAL News was approached by Betty Williams, a resident who had just recently mailed checks at the post office. When she learned why WRAL News was there, she was shocked.

"I just mailed 10 checks off to charity, different charities," Williams said. "I need to give my bank a heads up, definitely. That's sad."

WRAL News asked the USPS Inspectors' Office if any progress has been made since the investigation started. The office said they would provide an update at a later time.