SAN ANTONIO – A South Side man is facing charges in connection with a type of crime that appears to be on the rise locally. He's accused of trying to cash a check reported stolen from another person's mailbox.
An arrest affidavit stated that a bank clerk called police in January after noticing something "wasn't right" with a check presented to her by Tommy Castillo, 43.
The check, made out to Castillo for $497, was drawn on the account of an 85-year-old man with whom the teller was familiar.
The teller told police she checked the customer's signature card and realized the one on file did not match what was on the check.
Police investigated and said they discovered the name and amount on the check had been altered, and the signature had been forged.
They said the elderly man told detectives he originally had written out the check for $36 to pay a bill and placed it into his mailbox, the affidavit stated.
Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Castillo and took him into custody Tuesday on charge of fraud involving the elderly.
In the past six months, there have been at least three other arrests in connection with similar cases.
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