Duo arrested Tuesday in connection with recent spike in mail thefts from Camarillo Post Office

CAMARILLO, Calif. (KEYT) – Two men were arrested in connection with a recent spike in mail thefts from the Camarillo Post Office Tuesday.

Investigators noticed a significant rise in mail thefts and check fraud cases involving forged or "washed" checks all from the Camarillo Post Office in April and May of this year stated a press release from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

According to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, the suspects stuffed the exterior mailboxes at the local post office with cardboard and, after unsuspecting customers placed their outgoing mail into the filled mailboxes, the duo would return and remove the mail before it could be processed by postal workers.

Then, the dollar amounts on the stolen checks were altered or chemically changed, also known as "washing", which resulted in over $100,000 in losses for victims explained the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

Detectives were working closely with the U.S. Postal Service's Camarillo Postmaster and conducting extra patrols in connection shared the local law enforcement agency.

During one of those extra patrols on May 12, detectives noticed a vehicle that had been linked to an earlier mail theft and officers contacted and arrested a 19-year-old from Norwalk and a 21-year-old from Garden Grove at the scene noted the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

A search of the vehicle resulted in the collection of a large amount of stolen mail, including checks that were valued at several thousand dollars and believed to have been taken from the Camarillo Post Office detailed the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

Both suspects were booked into the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility on charges of mail theft, receiving stolen property, and conspiracy to commit a crime shared the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

The are currently being held on a $75,000 bail added the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

Forgery and mail fraud incidents tend to increase during and immediately after tax season as more checks are in circulation explained the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

If you see that a mailbox appears full, you are advised to take your mail into the post office, especially if you are sending a check or money, or use an alternative collection point.