GEORGETOWN TWP., MI (WHTC-AM/FM, Nov. 3, 2022) – A 29-year-old Grand Rapids man is in custody as a possible suspect in a string of mailbox robberies in Ottawa County last month, and he is possibly a suspect in a longer string stretching back to this spring.
On Wednesday, Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a bank branch in Georgetown Township on a report of a person attempting to cash a fraudulent check. That suspect was arrested without incident, and investigators found that this person attempted to cash that check the previous day at a bank branch in Jenison.
Over a five-day period, from October 27th through the 31st, deputies were called to about 10 separate incidents involving the theft of dozens of pieces of mail from businesses in Georgetown and Zeeland townships. The perpetrator or perpetrators apparently were targeting business checks in these thefts.
There has been a string of business mail thefts in eastern Ottawa County since May, with the sheriff’s department working with various federal entities in investigating the matter that could stretch into several states. According to Detective Captain Jake Sparks, this unnamed suspect, who awaits arraignment in Hudsonville District Court on uttering and publishing charges, may be involved in these other incidents.
“The Sheriff’s Office encourages the public to avoid leaving mail in mailboxes for extended periods of time or over the weekend, be mindful of strange vehicles attempting to access business mailboxes, and refrain from mailing checks with large dollar amounts,” Sparks said in a department statement.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department or Silent Observer (877-887-4536).
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