A mail theft ring that targeted church donations has been broken up in Florida, with eight people arrested, according to Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies say the group stole cheques that worshippers had posted to their churches, then paid them into personal bank accounts, often using mobile banking so the thefts were harder to spot.

The sheriff’s office said the scheme exploited the “routine nature” of giving to church.

The investigation identified more than 20 suspects and fraudulent activity involving at least 17 churches in Manatee County between September 2025 and May 2026.

In that region alone, detectives have confirmed 66 victims, with losses of more than $72,000 (£55,000). Outside the county, authorities said a further 268 stolen cheques account for nearly $194,000 (£150,000) in confirmed losses.

Suspicion was raised last December when a pastor at Harvest United Methodist Church in Lakewood Ranch noticed far less mail arriving. Members of the church then began asking whether their donations had reached the church.

Detective Rachael Fossaceca told local news station WWSB: “The suspects were not connected to the churches. They were not parishioners. They did not work for the church. They targeted the churches.”

The eight face charges including organised scheme to defraud, grand theft and criminal use of personal identification. Warrants are also out for seven more suspects.

The sheriff’s office worked with the US Postal Inspection Service and the Hillsborough and Pasco county sheriff’s offices. It is still identifying victims and urges anyone who posts donations to check their bank statements.