Man And Wife Suspected In Check Theft In Jackson And Washington Counties

Last updated on Tuesday, October 18, 2016

(WASHINGTON/JACKSON CO.) - A 33-year-old man was arrested Friday after police say he stole checks from mailboxes in both Washington and Jackson County.

Since the arrest of Robert Lee Hollin Jr., more residents have come forward reporting checks were stolen from their mailboxes.

"We're in the early stages of investigation," says Washington County Sheriff Deputy Brent Miller. "We are likely to have more victims come forward. Because some people don't check their bank statements but only once a month."

Police arrested Hollin Jr., formerly of Tampico, after he was identified cashing the checks on surveillance video at the Circle K in Scottsburg and other local Circle K locations.

The convenience store contacted Indiana State Police Detective Scott Stewart, who contacted Miller. Indiana State Police detectives are now assisting in the investigation because some of the checks were cashed outside of Washington County.

"We have checks being cashed in Jackson, Scott and Clark counties," Deputy Miller added. "There will be more charges coming."

Hollen admitted he and his wife had stolen more than 20 personal checks out of mailboxes located in Washington and Jackson counties during the past month.

The checks were written to various companies or people to pay bills and were in the mailboxes with the red flag up waiting on the post office to retrieve them. Hollin stole the checks, used White Out to cover up the names and amounts and 're-wrote" the checks and cashed them at the various businesses.

Checks were taken out of mailboxes along State Road 135 North and State Road 160. Those checks were cashed at Circle K's in Brownstown and Scottsburg and at a Meijer store in Jeffersonville.

Rachel D. Hollin was also arrested and is in custody in Clark County on unrelated charges.

Reports of the stolen checks:

Washington County Deputy Andrew Mull worked a case on Sept. 26, after a report that on Sept. 21, someone stole 5 envelopes out of her mailbox, containing five personal checks, which were issued on her personal checking account.
One of the checks had been rewritten and cashed at the Circle K in Brownstown. No amount was given, but Miller indicated it could be in the thousands of dollars and involve more than the three current victims.
On Sept. 28, the victim's husband called the sheriff's department to say that four checks had been converted by merchant to electronic withdraw by Meijer in Jeffersonville.
On Oct. 8, another victim State Road 160 came to the sheriff's department and reported that on Oct. 6, someone had stolen 2 envelopes out of his mailbox containing 2 personal checks and that one had been rewritten and cashed at the Circle K in Scottsburg.
On Oct. 13, ISP Detective Stewart received information from the Circle K in Scottsburg regarding that victim's check.
Miller says he was able to identify Hollin Jr and Rachel D Hollinn as possible suspects in the investigation.

"The checks were accepted at more than one store in multiple counties and we don't know the total dollar amount, number of checks or the number of victims," added Deputy Miller. "Hollin admitted to driving some other county roads other than 135 and 160. My advice to the public is to look at your bank statement and if you've had anything suspicious in the last couple of months, call the sheriff's department."

The tip line is (812) 883-5556.

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