Salina Police arrested three Salina residents after they allegedly stole checks from mailboxes, then bleaching them and making the checks out to themselves.
Police Capt. Mike Sweeney tells KSAL News that police were called to the 1300 block of Crescent on Monday morning where two residents claimed that they had checks stolen from their mailboxes.
Sweeney says that 59-year-old Pongsak Nakrop had three checks taken from his mailbox, while 57-year-old Anthony Miszkwitz also said multiple checks were stolen from his mailbox.
The thieves then whitewashed the checks from the mail and wrote one of the checks to Nathan Speed, 35, Salina.
Speed passed the check for $800 at First Bank Kansas, 235 S. Santa Fe. The check belonged to Nakrop.
Speed then went to Rose Hill Bank, 317 S. Santa Fe. While Speed was inside trying to pass a second check, Salina Police identified a 2004 Saturn Icon with two female suspects sitting inside in the parking lot. Police arrested Roberta Blanks, 32, Salina and 26-year-old Christa Helm, also of Salina. Speed then ran out of the bank and was chased down by authorities at Highland and Prescott.
All three suspects are facing two counts of forgery and two counts of theft. Speed also had a failure to appear charge.
Most of the money was returned to the victims. Sweeney says that authorities believe this case is connected to the Crime Stopper’s crime of the week from last week.
More charges are pending.
Christa Helm, 26, Salina Roberta Blanks, 32, Salina Nathan Speed, 35, Salina
