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Thieves caught on video fishing checks and money orders from rent drop box

Posted at 9:34 PM, Aug 12, 2013
and last updated 2013-08-13 08:50:45-04

Newport News, Va. - Crooks are hard at work stealing other people's hard earned money. Surveillance video shows suspects fishing out checks and money orders from Franklin Management Company's rent drop slot.

Allison Treadwell with the company says thieves wiggled out nearly 150 rent payments from their Newport News office.

Surveillance shows they did it over the course of two days in June.

“They were there for 10 minutes one day and 15 minutes the next ,” says Treadwell.

The first hit was June 5th at around 2:30 a.m. Two people walked up to the door.

Moments later, you can see them using some sort of stick to pull out checks and money orders.

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Just a few minutes later, they pick up their prize, shove it in their hoodies and walk away.

The next day, they were back for more just before 2 a.m.

They were busy at work pulling out checks and money orders one by one.

Minutes later, a getaway driver flashes their car lights and the thieves scrambled to pack up and walk away.

But one of the thieves forgets to put the hood back on.

Newport News police believe these people may be connected to a string of rent money thefts just like this at six other rental offices.

And just like payments washed and cashed from Franklin Management:

“They all appear to be cashed from Florida and in the same area of Miami," says Treadwell.

Police say that's what happened to the other payments stolen from the other rental offices.

If you know anything about this, call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.