Be Aware of this Postal Service Check Scam Reported in Delaware
Countless Delaware residents have made reports of stolen checks, plagiarized checks, mail theft, and cashed checks for wrong amounts. There have been reports of checks that were made out to utility companies, completely erased and re-written to pay a personal account for a larger amount than what was originally written. Some checks would be triple or even ten times the amount of which they were originally written. Countless posts on the Nextdoor social media app have been very similar in style, describing how their checks were faulty and tampered with.
And it’s not just happening in Delaware.
Across the country, what has become known as mailbox fishing and check washing has become a nationwide problem. Thieves are stealing checks being sent in the mail and using a certain chemical to wash away the ink on the check so that they can replace the name and amount the check is issued for, whilst keeping the original signature.
Some checks have been caught in the act due to suspicious activity in their bank accounts, but some are so subtle that they have gone under the radar until they get a report saying they’ve missed their utility payment. Banks and financial institutions have recommended keeping a close eye on their bank accounts, ensuring their bank activity is solely their own. They have also recommended not mailing any checks, and paying bills online, or in person handing the check directly over to the company or person you’re paying. Keeping a checkbook of dates and payments can also show which checks have gone haywire.
Other ways to prevent this U.S. Postal Service check scam is to use gel pens with inedible ink. This certain ink “cannot be washed” according to Axios. Banks have actually begun hiring more in check processing teams, and have started to point the fingers at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to hold their mail carriers accountable and to do more serious investigations when these problems arise.
The USPS “has been putting warning signs on blue mailboxes, telling people to use online bill pay or bring their letters to a post office.”
Stealing mail is a felony and can result in a sentence of five years in federal prison, along with a large fine. Check washing is also a felony and can result in jail time.
Inside the Abandoned Cine'Mart Theater in Wilmington Delaware
In the late 60s and early 70s, movie theaters, drive-ins, and strip mall cinemas were popping up all over the nation. They were the new craze. Branmar Cinema had just opened their doors, along with Tri State Mall’s old theater. And then came the Cine’Mart Theater on Governor Printz Boulevard in Wilmington, Delaware. The first date of the box office opening at the Cine’Mart was January 20th, 1969.
According to the credited research that Edwin Graf Diemer contributed to Cinema Treasures for this story, “The shopping center [across the street from Cine’Mart] was built just following World War II and quickly became the most popular shopping destination in Wilmington.” The theater seated 984 people and there was only 1 screen, similar to Branmar Theater just a couple miles away. A newspaper released at the time of the closure stated, “The CineMart, Northern Delaware’s largest motion picture theater was closed over the weekend. Employees of the 984-seat theater on the Governor Printz Boulevard said they were notified of the closing just hours before it was shut down.”
The theater was steadily losing “$50,000 to $60,000 a year” and fell behind on rent. The owners did ask the owners of the Merechandise Mart to twin the theater, but they declined. At the same time of the CineMart closure, the Edgemoor Theater, which was only a few hundred yards up the road, would close when their lease expired.
Edwin cited that “The auditorium was completely in gold with wide rocking chair seating. The front was deeply curved to allow for the screen, with curtains that went to the rear of the auditorium.” According to local WJBR listener, Gary Rauso who has been to the Cinemart as well as Branmar Cinema, stated “It was the first theater in the area to have surround sound.” This theater, along with many others across America, actually were booking shows ranging from G-rated to explicit pornographic films. The theater was originally built to operate solely on X-rated pornographic films, but the Budco company acquired the theater from Hallmark Theaters of Massachusetts and started showing all varieties of films. The first film ever shown at the Cinemart was in 1968, titled “The Odd Couple”. The last ever film shown there was “The Exterminator”.
The downfall of the Cine’Mart was actually due to the Concord Mall on Route 202 in Wilmington. The Mall had been built with a theater of its own and sucked the life out of the Cine’Mart. This also resulted in the abandonment of the entire Merchandise Mart. Today, the Cine’Mart is fully abandoned, but remains standing with boards up on every possible entrance.
For a more-in depth read of the history of the Cine’Mart, I highly recommend reading Edwin’s full contribution on Cinema Treasures.
Hollywood Kyle is the Digital Content Producer and Production Director of Mix 99.5 WJBR. Being a Delaware local, Kyle takes pride in his hometown and has had a love for music since a young age. Hollywood Kyle joins the Mix Morning Show for abstract thoughts and ideas during "Hollywood Kyle" segment around 9:40am Monday thru Friday.