Lenexa police say nearly $500,000 in checks have been stolen from mailboxes so far in 2025—and that’s just the reported cases. Thieves are targeting outgoing mail, stealing checks, and using a method called “washing” to erase the original details and rewrite them to cash the checks illegally.

To protect yourself, police recommend the following tips:

• Use a gel pen when writing checks. Gel ink is harder to remove.
• Avoid neighborhood mailboxes for sending checks or money.
• Use the mail slot inside a post office for a more secure drop-off.
• Consider electronic payments like online banking or payment apps.
• Monitor your bank statements regularly for suspicious activity.

Police strongly urge anyone mailing a check to drop it off inside the post office rather than using outside mailboxes.