Lawrence, NJ cops arrest 2 after checks kept getting stolen from mail
LAWRENCE (Mercer) — Two Willingboro men were arrested and charged with mail theft after an investigation into the theft of checks and fraud.
In all of the cases reported checks were mailed from U.S. Postal Service mailboxes outside of either the Circle Branch post office on Business Route 1 (Brunswick Pike) or the Craven Lane post office along Route 206, according to Police Chief Christopher Longo.
The first break in the case came when an officer on patrol saw a BMW parked in front of the Circle Branch post office on June 27.
When the officer approached, the BMW sped off and was later abandoned and with multiple stolen checks, forged checks, forgery devices and several stolen credit cards inside, according to Longo.
Final break in the case
Several months later, while the Craven Lane post office was under surveillance Monday around 10 p.m., a vehicle pulled up and Richard D. Rowe, 22, got out. Longo said Rowe used a key to open the mailbox in front of the building. When approached by officers, Rowe fled on foot but was arrested a short time later.
The driver of the vehicle, Iyon S. Ellerbe, 21, sped off on Route 206 and was arrested after a crash at the intersection of Denow Road.
Rowe was charged with six counts of burglary, six counts of theft, possession of burglary tools, trafficking in identifying information of another, forgery, resisting arrest and multiple counts of receiving stolen property.
Ellerbe was charged as an accomplice to the Sept. 5 burglary, resisting arrest, and assorted motor vehicle violations.
Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com
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