A man from New York City was arrested for stealing at least nine stimulus checks, credit cards, and other items from mailboxes.

Police officers arrested the man on Tuesday after he was seen looking in mailboxes and a medical collection bin in Brooklyn's Sunset Park neighborhood, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York.

The 31-year-old man accused of stealing stimulus checks from mailboxes was identified as Feng Chen. According to the complaint filed, police officers saw Chen looking inside the medical collection bin in the nearby closed medical office early in the morning on April 28.

The police officers searched Chen after they saw his bulging pocket. While searching, they found stimulus checks worth more than $12,000, stolen credit cards, bank checks, open envelopes, and various letters with different names and addresses.

Police officers started to tail Chen after a resident in the neighborhood reported his illegal activities. He was charged with possession of stolen property.

However, the charges were aggravated since he stole a couple of federal checks. The Federal prosecutors said that they are charging Chen with federal mail theft because of the postal-related nature of the scheme. The Treasury checks or stimulus checks were stolen were meant for workers who are in financial constraints amid COVID-19.

If Chen is convicted, he will face five years imprisonment. U.S. Attorney Richard Donohue said: "For many families, these stimulus checks are a lifeline in these difficult times, and anyone who tries to cut that lifeline will face the full weight of the law."

Philip Bartlett, the inspector-in-charge at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service's New York Division, also said: "The COVID-19 crisis has placed tremendous stress on underserved communities across this country. The Economic Impact Payments are, in many cases, the lifeline needed by these individuals to stay afloat during this crisis."

Barlett added that when Chen stole the stimulus checks, he robbed recipients of the much-needed funds they need to meet their daily needs. Additionally, the Postal Inspectors and their law enforcement are not tolerating illegal activities such as Chen, most especially in this time of the global pandemic.

He commended the New York Police District for their efforts, outstanding work, and service amid COVID-19 and in this challenging time. He concluded: "This Office will vigorously prosecute all those who seek to take advantage of the public health crisis."

In the developing report, Police officers believed that Chen has been stealing checks for more than a week before his arrest. Police authorities are now reaching out to the families who were victimized by Chen and explained to them why they did not receive their stimulus checks.

Chen made an appearance through a via videoconference before the U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Cheryl L. Pollak. Jan Rostal, Chen's federal public defender, declined to give comments about the charges filed against his clients.

Meanwhile, Donoghue is urging the people to report any suspicious or fraud-related COVID-19 activities to the National Center for Disaster Fraud.


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