MEXICO – Mail, telephone and e-mail scams are reported by people at an average of twice a month, police Sgt. Roy Hodsdon said.

On Thursday, a resident brought in the latest scam from a company in Alberta, Canada, calling itself First Choice Financial Services. The letter includes a check for $4,550, and asks that the check be deposited. In return, First Choice claims it will send the recipient $250,000.

In reality, said Hodsdon, recipients of such letters who follow the directions, will be out the $4,550.

“If it’s too good to be true, it is,” he said.

Others have received telephone calls from supposed credit card companies or banks, asking for credit card numbers.

He warned people not to provide their account numbers.

“If it is a bank or a credit card company, they already know your numbers,” he said.

Telephone calls from businesses claiming to offer extended warrantees on vehicles are also happening. The caller asks recipients to send a check to extend the warrantee, a service that will not happen, Hodsdon said.

“As for e-mails, forget it,” he said.

In other police incidents:

Arrest

• Peter Williams, 39, Weld Street, Dixfield, on a charge of failure to appear on warrants, at 10:42 a.m., March 12. He was released from the Mexico Police Department on $200 cash bail. He is scheduled to appear in Cumberland County District Court on April 22.

Thefts

A Highland Terrace resident reported the theft of a motor and other engine parts from his snowmobile, valued at $1,600, at 1:14 p.m., March 18.

A resident of Penobscot Street in Rumford, who was parked on Carlton Avenue, Mexico, reported the theft of her purse and contents from her unlocked vehicle, at 9:19 p.m. March 15. Some of the contents were later recovered by Rumford parks commissioner Tim Gallant from Hosmer Field and returned to the owner.

An Osgood Avenue resident reported the theft of his pickup truck construction rack at 9:50 a.m. March 15. It had been stored at the rear of his home and was taken some time during the winter. Police have no leads.

Wal-Mart personnel reported the theft of about $1,200 in electronics and other merchandise at 3:14 p.m. March 12. It is believed that the theft, which involved the thief walking out the back fire exit and into a waiting vehicle, took place at 6:30 p.m. March 11. A surveillance camera caught the thief on tape. The matter is under investigation.

Vandalism

A Kimball Street resident reported that someone had kicked in the door of his pickup truck at 1:26 p.m. March 12, causing about $300 damage. Police have no leads.