A man in Brooklyn was arrested for allegedly using the coronavirus pandemic for his own personal gain.
Feng Chen, 31, was arrested on Tuesday by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Federal prosecutors said Chen was seen rifling through the mail at four different buildings in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn.
When Chen was arrested, police said he had multiple credit cards with various names in addition to the nine checks that were meant for other people. Chen was charged with possession of stolen property and criminal trespass, according to ABC 7 New York.
Earlier this month, authorities in Indiana said that a group of four men broke into a woman’s house and held her against her will while demanding the money from her coronavirus relief check.
“This case is an example of our collaboration with law enforcement to not only ensure the mail is delivered to the intended destinations, but also to safeguard Postal Service employees,” a spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service told the Washington Examiner.
“We want to ensure everyone realizes mail theft is a federal crime, for which you will be prosecuted. Postal Inspectors have no tolerance for the theft of mail and will continue to work to bring to justice those who break these laws,” the spokesperson added.
