Hunter
09/25/23
An Indianapolis Indiana man who was allegedly part of a group of individuals stealing checks in the area and elsewhere has been arrested.
According to police, 26-year-old Kalvin Brown was among a group of three individuals who stole multiple rent checks and money orders between July 2nd and 5th during the overnight hours from the rent payment dropbox at KMB management on Maiden Lane. The management company estimated the amount of the lost checks exceeded $8900.
Surveillance video shows a grey 2021 Nissan Altima with Missouri plates arriving in the lot occupied by three men. One of them, reportedly Brown’s brother, is seen using a rodent adhesive trap attached to a string, fishing it into the payment slot and pulling out with checks and money orders stuck to it.
Investigating officers were able to obtain video showing the vehicle entering and leaving Iowa City during those dates, and surveillance from an Iowa City Kum & Go gas station gave them better photos of Brown and the other suspects.
It was learned that the car was a rental, and the person who rented it said she was Brown’s sister and procured the vehicle for her brother’s use.
Additional surveillance video showed the suspects reportedly executing the same types of thefts in Urbandale, Ames and Cedar Rapids during the same period. Many of the checks were cashed at Western Union locations in the Des Moines area. Video from those transactions allegedly shows Brown, his brother, and the other suspect cashing the checks, which had the payee lines “washed” and replaced with the names of the suspects. The three were not able to cash the checks stolen out of Iowa City, as they had all been either cancelled or had payment stopped on them, but authorities say it was their intent to do so.
Cellphone data was also collected as evidence, showing Brown in the areas of the thefts before returning to Indiana. The suspects allegedly had been working in unison using the same method of operation; Brown would get a rental car form an unwitting third party, while his brother actually committed the thefts. The third, apparently the only one with a valid driver’s license, would drive them to the locations.
After completing their investigation, Iowa City police requested an arrest warrant for Brown, which was granted August 22nd. Brown was taken into custody Saturday night and was charged with 2nd degree Theft and Conspiracy to Commit a Felony. If convicted on both counts, he could be sentenced to up to ten years in prison.