KCSO police reports
• A theft and fraud case is under investigation after a check was reported stolen from a Farragut post office earlier this month. According to the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, a Farragut man reported Jan. 22 that a $1,900 check was placed in a mailbox at the Farragut Post Office, 11409 Municipal Center Dr., on Jan. 3. The check was intended for a homeowners association, but the intended recipient never received it. Investigators said the check was altered and fraudulently made payable to a suspect for the same amount. The altered check was then deposited electronically into a bank account. Deputies classified the case as felony theft, fraud by false pretenses and forgery. The complainant provided detectives with copies of the check and a bank affidavit as part of the investigation.
• A woman reported damage to her vehicle Jan. 22 while attempting to get gas at a station on Brooklawn Street. According to the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, a person of interest in a red SUV yelled at the complainant before throwing a can from the vehicle, striking the complainant’s car and leaving a small dent near the driver’s side door. Surveillance footage showed the suspect vehicle, a red Ford, leaving the scene, but the driver could not be identified. The case remains under investigation.
• Deputies responded Jan. 27 to a reported burglary at an apartment on Vista Terrace Way. Two victims told deputies they had not been inside the unit since late November due to health issues but discovered signs of forced entry and the apartment ransacked upon returning. Multiple items, including fishing equipment, coins and household goods valued at about $5,000, were reported stolen. Investigators said there was no record of an eviction, and forensics documented the scene. No suspects have been identified.
• An employee of a Parkside Drive barber shop reported vandalism Jan. 27 after discovering the rear door could not be unlocked. Deputies said the deadbolt had been blocked with a foreign substance, causing damage estimated at $300. Indoor security footage did not show anyone entering the business. The incident is under investigation.
• Deputies responded Jan. 29 to a fraud complaint at a residence on Landing Lane in Farragut. A woman reported she was contacted by phone Jan. 27 by an individual claiming to be with the Federal Trade Commission who told her she had arrest warrants out of Texas for money laundering, drug trafficking and other offenses involving law enforcement. The caller said she would be arrested unless she paid money. The victim was instructed to withdraw cash from multiple bank accounts and later handed over a large amount of money to the suspect who arrived at her home. The woman’s bank identified the situation as a scam, froze the account and advised her to contact law enforcement. Adult Protective Services was notified, and the case remains under investigation.
• A Farragut man reported Jan. 29 that a check he mailed earlier in the month had been altered and fraudulently deposited. According to the report, the check was mailed from a Farragut Post Office at 11409 Municipal Center Dr. and later deposited at a bank after the payee's name was changed. The loss totaled $1,900. The incident was reported at a county government building, and the case is being investigated as theft, forgery and fraud.
• A Farragut man reported Jan. 30 that his identity was used in an attempt to purchase a vehicle at Fox Valley Volkswagen, located in Chicago, Illinois. The complainant said he was alerted by a credit bureau and later confirmed with the car dealership that a person of interest attempted to use his driver’s license information. The dealership did not complete the sale. No financial loss was reported, and the incident remains under investigation.
• A Farragut woman reported Feb. 3 that her identity was used to open unauthorized financial accounts. The complainant said she received a letter at the beginning of January and emails indicating that a credit card and debit card account were opened using her personal information but did not realize what the correspondence was until Jan. 28. She reported she did not authorize the accounts and believes her identity was compromised. The case is under investigation.
