Investigators linked allegedly stolen checks to residential mailboxes in Mount Olive, Randolph and Roxbury; the arrests occurred Aug. 18.
MORRIS COUNTY, NJ – Three men face forgery, theft and related charges following an investigation into checks allegedly stolen from residential mailboxes in Mount Olive, Randolph and Roxbury and cashed at banks, according to an Oct. 14 release by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.
The defendants are Erik C. Mitchell, 34, of Hackettstown; Aljaquan T. Wilson, 31, of Newark; and Blancsun Altidor, 32, of Newark.
The reports describe arrests made Aug. 18, following complaints to Mount Olive police that checks were disappearing from residential mailboxes and being fraudulently cashed. Detectives identified a suspect vehicle and learned it was in the township that day, according to the account of the investigation.
Investigators alleged that Mitchell was attempting to cash a fraudulent check at a bank in Flanders. Officers found Wilson and Altidor in the vehicle, arrested all three and impounded the vehicle. Detectives subsequently obtained a search warrant with assistance from the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, the reports said.
Further investigation linked the defendants to checks cashed Aug. 10, 11 and 17 that had been reported stolen in the three municipalities, according to the authorities’ account.
The reported charges include forgery, theft, receiving stolen property and conspiracy. Wilson also faces credit card theft charges, and Altidor faces a charge of possessing a false driver’s license. The reports said the three defendants were detained at the Morris County Correctional Facility pending further proceedings and that the investigation remained open.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Residents concerned about missing mail can take several steps recommended by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service: collect mail promptly, contact the sender when an expected check or credit card does not arrive, and arrange for mail to be held when away. The agency also advises against sending cash and recommends considering signature confirmation for important deliveries.
Mail-related crimes can be reported through the Postal Inspection Service’s website or at 877-876-2455. The local reports identify the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, 973-285-6200, as a contact for information about this investigation.