6/15/2009 6:00:00 AM
6 arrested for mail theft
Suspects linked to fraudulent check scheme, police say
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KINGMAN - The Bullhead City and Kingman Police Departments are investigating six Bullhead City residents in connection with an alleged mail theft and fraudulent check scheme.
The six suspects allegedly took boxes of checks and other mail from mail boxes in the Bullhead City area. The suspects then attempted to write checks to themselves and cash them at banks in Needles, Calif., and Kingman.
The Bullhead City Police Department and U.S. Postal Inspectors started investigating cluster-type mail box break-ins in approximately 10 neighborhood communities nearly a month ago.
On June 5, detectives received information from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office regarding a woman, 30-year-old Wendy Lorraine Wolf, they had arrested for attempting to pass a fraudulent check at a bank in Needles.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office discovered that Wolf was receiving these fraudulent checks from a person named Aaron Welch, who was a suspect in the recent mail thefts.
The Bullhead City Police Department served a search warrant at Wolf's residence, where Welch had also been living, in the 1200 block of Powerline Road. During the search, police found numerous items of mail and magazines that were addressed to various people in the Bullhead City and Fort Mohave area.
On Thursday, police received information on where Welch was staying. A search warrant was executed at 10:30 a.m. at a residence in the 300 block of Krueger Lane. Police arrested 28-year-old Welch, his girlfriend, 25-year-old Candace Frances Bowersox, and 32-year-old Michael Maurice Marcum.
Welch was arrested for fraudulent schemes, burglary and possession of stolen property. Bowersox was arrested for fraudulent schemes and possession of stolen property. Marcum was arrested for burglary, theft, criminal damage and fraudulent schemes.
While executing the search warrant, police found stolen mail, drug paraphernalia and numerous counterfeit homemade keys that were made in an attempt to fit the mail box cluster locks.
According to U.S. Postal Inspector A. Rivas, $17,000 worth of damage was done to mail boxes during the recent burglaries. U.S. Postal Inspectors may file federal charges.
Welch, Bowersox and Marcum were taken to the Mohave County Jail in Kingman.
Three additional suspects were arrested Thursday in Kingman by Kingman Police for allegedly attempting to cash fraudulent checks that were stolen from Bullhead City mail boxes.
Eldein Wheeler, 44, Pamela Joyce Breitkopf, 50, and Amber Lee Currier, 39, all of Bullhead City, were taken into custody. Bullhead City Police are currently interviewing the three suspects in Kingman.
The case is still under investigation.
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Posted: Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
They were not prosecuted federal court as the Flagstaff US Attorney declined to take the case.
Posted: Monday, June 15, 2009
Article comment by:
Frank
Couldn't help but crack a smile at your post, Bhima. I was going to post this morning that they will probably get a plea deal and a slap on the wrist. We need to raise taxes 10%, put more police on the road, and prosecute all major infractions like this to the full extent that the law allows. Then people will think twice before they do this sort of stuff in Mohave County. I'd be proud to live in Mohave County if it was known as the place where you don't want to break the law.
Posted: Monday, June 15, 2009
Article comment by:
Donald
Stupid is as stupid does. What were these people thinking? The federal crimes these idiots commited calls for Federal prison. No probation, no parole! Full time as per the judge mandates!!!! Good!!
Posted: Monday, June 15, 2009
Article comment by:
Art
I so so soooooo agree with you Bhima Solberg.
In this county, SOME people must obey the law, but the law is just a silly triviality for a certain class of criminal... that is the criminal who is low profile and poor. IF you are one of those fools like me, who still works for a living, and the "justice" machine has a good chance at squeezing some money out of you, well then you better obey the law to the letter. If you have regular income or any property or assets, then the law enforcement here looks upon you like ripe fruit for the picking if you should break any laws, or even be accused of breaking any laws. But if you are one of the low profile "indigents" and there is no money to be made in prosecution, well you could litterally "get away with murder" here.
My own mother was the victim of this sort so stolen check thing. Wal-Mart security cameras had a clear image of the culprit using one of her checks... and guess what? The thief was NEVER EVEN ARRESTED, never even contacted by law enforcement. Let's face an ugly fact here, the "justice" system here is looking for MONEY, and assets that they can sieze. If you do not have any visible money or assets, they will go out of their way to NOT prosecute, but woe unto the poor working man who makes any mistake; "Thar's gold in them that hills" and money in that citizen's bank account!
Posted: Monday, June 15, 2009
Article comment by:
Bhima Solberg
Good luck with the prosecutions! The same thing happened to my wife and I ,here in Dolan Springs. I found video of the Perpetrator cashing the checks, gave that information to the Deputy Albright, who viewed those tapes and identified the Perpetrator, and made an arrest. However the D.A. did not have the Will to prosecute and she only received 6 months probation. What kind of message does that send?
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