Kissimmee police detectives are warning apartment communities about recent burglaries involving rent/deposit drop box burglaries.
Police say, in early February, there were six reports regarding burglaries to apartment community drop boxes. Residents of the community use the drop boxes to deposit their monthly rent checks or money orders, when the management office is closed.
Police also say, the burglaries were not discovered until management began sending out late notices to residents whose rent monies had not been received. The management learned that the residents used the drop boxes and the money was stolen from the box.
A sticky substance was found in one of the drop boxes and police believe it was used to pull the checks and money orders out of the boxes.
Authorities said, of the money orders cashed, it is clear that they were washed and a different name appears in the “Pay to the Order” line.
Kissimmee police have been able to identify two persons of interest in this case or possible victims of identity theft.
37-year-old Maidalys Casas Conde’s name appears on at least three of the stolen money orders. Her last known address is in Hialeah, Florida.
26-year-old Obette Perea’s name appears on one of the stolen money orders that was cashed, police said. His last known address is also in Hialeah, Florida.
The Kissimmee Police Department’s Community Relations Squad has passed out warning flyers to the apartment communities within the City urging them to discontinue using the drop boxes for the time being.
Anyone with information about the persons of interest or this case is urged to contact the Kissimmee Police Department’s Property Claims Unit at # 407-846-3333, by e-mail at [email protected] or Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477.
