OCEAN PINES – A Salisbury man who was working as a mail carrier out of the U.S. Post Office in Ocean Pines was arrested on fraud and theft charges this week after a four-month investigation linked him to an identity theft scheme.
Nikhilkumar Patel, 27, of Salisbury, was arrested this week and charged with theft, credit card fraud and obtaining a credit card in the name of another after a four-month joint investigation by the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) and the U.S. Postal Inspectors Office tied him to a string of thefts carried out over several months while working in the capacity of the mail carrier.
The investigation revealed Patel was allegedly stealing credit cards and ATM cards from the mail and making unauthorized purchases and withdraws with them. He is being held at the Worcester County Jail on a $15,000 bond.
The scope of Patel’s alleged theft is not entirely known and the investigation is continuing. Anyone with information regarding the case is encouraged to contact WCBI at 410-352-3476.
See The Dispatch tomorrow for more information.