Update: Monday, 3:15 p.m. According to the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office, the vehicle and suspect have been identified. No name or additional information has been released at this time.
Original story posted at 2:16 p.m.The Augusta County Sheriff’s Office is requesting help identifying a suspect and vehicle allegedly involved in numerous check fraud incidents in Augusta County.
The suspect is potentially linked to stolen mail in the Chinquapin subdivision in Lyndhurst, just outside of Waynesboro, right off Interstate 64.
Residents there have reported problems with mail theft for more than a month.
Mailboxes for this neighborhood are clustered together on the main road making it likely more prone to potential mail theft.
According to residents of the neighborhood, mail has been stolen multiple times resulting in some residents holding their mail at the post office.
One resident of Laurel Ridge Lane reported multiple credit card statements were stolen with her account number on them. She has requested new cards from the providers and asked for her mail to be held until they arrive. Another resident reported she had personal checks mailed to her by her bank stolen. A third resident reported a check was stolen from her mailbox and cashed.
Residents tell AFP that discarded mail was found in a pile in the neighborhood.
When the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office was contacted for more information on the thefts by AFP on Jan. 23, we were told they were “not aware of any mail thefts in the Chinquapin neighborhood.”
After providing more specific information regarding incidents, AFP was told by Augusta County Sheriff’s Office Administrative Lieutenant Leslie Snyder that they were looking into the information provided. However, no information has been provided at this time other than the news release sent today about the check fraud suspect.
According to residents, a postal inspector is also looking into the situation in Chinquapin. AFP was told that cameras have also been installed in hopes of catching the person(s) responsible for the thefts.
The Augusta County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help identifying the driver and/or owner of the pictured vehicle.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Investigator Ryan Chandler at (540) 245-5333.