2 people arrested in connection to major mail theft bust spanning 6 Bay Area cities
SUNNYVALE, Calif. (KGO) -- A mail theft investigation in Sunnyvale led to the arrest of two people and the recovery of more than 80 pounds of suspected stolen mail connected to victims across several Bay Area cities, authorities said.
The Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety said the investigation began after receiving an information flier from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service regarding a trend in community mailbox thefts.
"First thing I want to say is thank you to Sunnyvale DPS," United States Postal Inspector Matthew Norfleet said. "I know the postal inspectors in the area there, and I know that they work closely with Sunnyvale DPS."
Authorities arrested two people tied to the case. Both of them were out on parole.
Investigators said they found about 100 pieces of stolen mail, burglary tools and U.S. Postal Service mailbox locks at one residence. At a second residence, they recovered more than 80 pounds of mail, burglary tools and suspected methamphetamine. Checks, credit cards and other personal information were also recovered.
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"It gets traded in for something drugs or cash or something by the people who steal it," Norfleet said.
According to investigators, the stolen mail was linked to dozens of community mailboxes in Sunnyvale, San Jose, Mountain View, Menlo Park, Sausalito and Oakland.
"As you can see from this case, the mail thieves don't keep themselves in one zip code," Norfleet said.
Norfleet said cluster mailboxes commonly found at apartment and condominium complexes are frequent targets for thieves. The investigation also highlights concerns raised by letter carriers about the dangers associated with mail theft.
"Carriers are now being targeted out on the street, and they're being assaulted as a result to steal the mail," said Ernie Arrañaga, president of National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 193 in San Jose.
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"We have had quite a, actually a few letter carriers of our branch that were assaulted or assaulted at gunpoint," Arrañaga said.
He worries about the safety of postal workers.
The National Association of Letter Carriers is backing federal legislation aimed at protecting postal workers.
"That is the Protect our Letter Carriers Act," Arrañaga said.
According to Arrañaga, the proposed legislation would improve key systems and increase penalties for those who commit mail theft or who rob or assault letter carriers.
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"We're trying to just encourage more to support and pass that legislation," he said.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is encouraging residents to report lost or stolen mail. When asked whether mail theft is underreported, Norfleet responded: "Oh, absolutely. Yes."
He said public reporting helps investigators identify suspects and supports efforts to protect postal workers.
"That can help our investigators track those people down who are not only committing financial crimes, but they're harming and terrorizing hardworking letter carriers," Norfleet said.
Norfleet urged residents to remember that neighborhoods serve as workplaces for letter carriers.
"So please try to help them be safe while they're there," he said.
