Insular Investigation detectives have issued an alert to St. Croix businesses to be aware of people trying to cash stolen checks at convenience stores, gas stations and other retail outlets.

Checks were stolen from St. Croix businesswoman Ann E. Abramson, who realized that her personal bank account check book was missing after a concerned business owner contacted her, asking about a check that someone was trying to cash.

Since then Abramson discovered that several checks were cashed at various businesses around the island.

Detectives remind business owners not to cash checks without seeing valid identification and recording that information on the back of the check. The police said the best method of cashing a check is to take it to the bank, and the VIPD recommends that business owners direct anyone who desires to cash check to do so at a bank branch.

Anyone who encounters a person trying to cash a check belonging to the personal account of Ann E. Abramson can contact 911 immediately, police said, take note of the persons’ physical appearance, what clothes they are wearing, what car they are driving and what direction they go when leaving.