PORT HADLOCK — Checks in the Jefferson County Public Utility District’s drop-box in Port Hadlock have been stolen.
Those who dropped payments in the box between Friday and Monday should call their banks and stop payment on their checks, the PUD said on its website at www.jeffpud.org.
The drop-box, which is in the PUD’s parking lot at 230 Chimacum Road, was unbolted from its stand and removed, said Jim Parker, general manager.
“They took the whole thing,” Parker said.
“Over the past 14 years, several people have run into the box, but no one has ever tried to break in.”
The theft was discovered at 7 a.m. Monday by Annette Johnson, human resources director, who was the first person to arrive at the office, Parker said.
Following the theft, the PUD placed a notice on its website urging customers who used the drop-box over the weekend to stop payment on the submitted checks.
Due to staggered billing cycles, there is no way to determine how many people are affected, Parker said, although a weekend average is 40 or 50 customers.
Customers are discouraged from depositing cash, so checking account information and the checks themselves might have been the target, according to the PUD.
Parker has contacted several local banks and has received assurance that the stop-payment fee will not be assessed if the check is made out to the PUD and falls within the date range.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the incident but had no leads as of Tuesday, according to Sgt. Mark Apeland.
“We have nothing to go on right now, and there was no surveillance video,” Apeland said.
Anyone with information about the theft is asked to contact the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office at 360-385-3831.
For more information, call the PUD at 360-385-5800.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
