Shawnee County Treasurer reports December mail-drop access; office tightens lock procedures

TOPEKA — Shawnee County Treasurer Larry Mahle reported to the Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 23 that a payment drop box at the Treasurer’s Office was accessed in December. Deputies reviewed video, staff determined where mail was handled, and the office contacted affected taxpayers to stop payments and reissue checks.

Mahle said the office recovered five pieces of real-estate-related mail and two motor-vehicle items from the incident and later discovered one additional item when a taxpayer’s check did not clear the bank. He said there was no apparent physical damage to the box and that the office replaced the lock within a day and modified the door so it must be held shut if the lock does not engage. The office also increased pickup frequency during tax season and will sweep the box on weekends when high volumes are expected.

Mahle said his office will ask taxpayers who believe they were affected to provide proof of stop-payment and that banks typically charge a stop-payment fee of $30; the office is not reimbursing that fee. He said the incident was reported to the sheriff and is under investigation.

Why it matters: Taxpayers who used the Treasurer’s Office drop box for payments may be affected if their checks were accessed. The office has taken immediate security steps and coordinated with law enforcement to recover and identify mail.

What the commissioners heard: “We discovered that on Monday, immediately reported that to the sheriff’s deputies. They reviewed the video. We could tell from the video that that person accessed the box, and with the use of the video, we were able to determine where they handled the mail,” Mahle said. He said most items were identified and resolved and that “everything we know about has been paid and settled up.”