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MOULTRIE — For the past 10 months, law enforcement has noticed a dramatic increase in the amount of stolen checks from the US Postal Service, averaging 100,000 to 150,000 dollars per week being stolen from residents of unincorporated Colquitt County.

So far in October, seven checks have already been reported stolen to the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office.

“We began to notice the problem toward the end of January,” said Lt. Ronald Jordan, with the CCSO.

This is a national issue, Jordan said.

“It all starts with someone mailing a check,” he said. “Then, it gets stolen somewhere along the line. It’s not necessarily someone from Moultrie.”

All mail must pass through a distribution center — Colquitt County’s is in Tallahassee — before it can be delivered.

}Most checks, especially those from businesses, must pass through several distribution centers, as they are generally traveling further.

Because this problem exists all over the nation, and checks are cashed throughout the entire United States, that makes it incredibly challenging to catch the culprit.

“A lot of the checks are being sold on the black market,” said Jordan. “It will either be whitewashed or it will be reprinted on a whole new check.”

Check washing is when specific chemicals are used to remove the ink so the payee’s name, and often the dollar amount, can be changed.

The best way to avoid this happening, is to just not use the postal service for your payments, Jordan said.

“First and foremost limit the amount of checks you have to put in the mail,” he said. “A lot of banks use a pay system with digital payments that can be used instead.

Not comfortable with online pay methods?

“If you have to mail a check, make it as discreet as possible,” said Jordan. “Don’t make it look like a check or use a window envelope.”

The Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate this issue.