A rash of complaints about stolen checks that had been mailed in Conshohocken has resulted in arrest. The Conshohocken Police Department arrested 22-year-old Steven I. Goldwire of Philadelphia on August 5th in connection with the theft of mail from four blue official mailboxes in the borough during late June and July 2024.

As of August 27th, Goldwire has been charged with three felonies connected to his attempt to avoid arrest (which resulted in a Conshohocken police officer being struck by Goldwire’s vehicle as he fled from the scene), and a fourth felony involving receiving stolen property. He was also charged with four misdemeanors, including theft of mail and four summary offenses. He is being held on $75,000 bail at the Montgomery County Prison.

According to the criminal complaint from the Conshohocken Police Department, an investigation was initiated after the department received “numerous” reports of checks mailed in Conshohocken being altered and deposited by an unknown party. The investigation found that the reported thefts came from the blue United States Post Office mailboxes at the Conshohocken Post Office, 1 West Elm Street, East 10th Avenue and Hallowell Street, and 161 Washington Street. Investigators discovered that Goldwire was parking near the mailboxes and was utilizing a key to access them. In the complaint, ten checks totaling almost $56,000 were allegedly stolen.

In 2021, The Philadelphia Inquirer published an article titled “Thieves are stealing checks from USPS collection boxes across Philly — and trying to get mail carriers’ keys” that reports on how common it is for thieves to have the keys to the mailboxes. Due to the problem, the postal service was forced to change the locks on all the boxes. In 2023, AroundAmbler.com reported on the ongoing issue with theft from the outside mailbox at the Blue Bell Post Office and the Whitpain Police advised the public to only drop mail inside the building. Arrests were made, but they box was eventually removed.

The Whitemarsh Township Police Department and the United States Postal Service also assisted in the investigation.

Goldwire is set to appear before Magisterial District Judge Dara Nasatir on August 28th at noon for a preliminary hearing.

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