Edwards (left) and Bratcher (right)
OUTAGAMIE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) — Beginning in December of 2022, the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office received numerous complaints of theft of mail; specifically from the industrial park in the Village of Greenville.
The suspects were targeting businesses and stealing incoming and outgoing checks from the mailboxes primarily during the overnight hours on the weekends. The stolen checks were later altered, duplicated and fraudulently cashed into various bank accounts throughout the United States. Investigation revealed the stolen checks were either cashed or attempted to be cashed via online mobile deposit or at ATM locations. The total amount of stolen checks from the industrial park in the Village of Greenville alone, surpassed $500,000.
It was quickly determined other Law Enforcement agencies throughout the Fox Valley and Northeast Wisconsin were investigating similar incidents, all of which appear to be related.
On February 5, 2023, the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on an associated vehicle on I-43. The occupants inside the vehicle were identified as Derrell J. Edwards and Dionta Bratcher, both from Chicago, Illinois. In a subsequent search of their vehicle, 61 stolen checks totaling over $121,000 were located. The checks were confirmed stolen, primarily from businesses within Brown County. Bratcher and Edwards were arrested and confined at the Manitowoc County Jail.
The Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office assisted in this investigation as Bratcher and Edwards face additional charges in several adjacent jurisdictions. It appears Bratcher and Edwards are associated with similar incidents throughout the State of Wisconsin and Illinois.
The Green Bay Police Department and Brown County Sheriff’s Office collaborated with all jurisdictions and forwarded charges on Edwards and Bratcher. This multi-jurisdictional investigation is ongoing and additional charges will be forthcoming. It is believed there are several additional suspects associated with this investigation and they are still at large.
Law Enforcement Agencies are strongly encouraging businesses to take the following steps to protect themselves from being victims of mail theft.
- Take checks directly to a USPS collection locations
- Sign up for Informed Delivery through USPS
- Request for mail NOT to be delivered on weekends (This can be done directly with your mail carrier according to the USPS)
- Install a USPS approved lockable mailbox
- Install CCTV systems to deter criminal activity
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