Montebello duo arrested in connection with months-long organized mail thefts
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – Two Montebello men were arrested in connection with a crime ring engaged in a months-long series of thefts from U.S. Postal Service collection boxes in Ventura and Los Angeles counties.
During the past several months, a recent increase of mail thefts in the Ojai area targeting checks were connected to an organized crime ring operating across Ventura County stated a press release from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.
Detectives with the Ojai Unit and the West County Special Enforcement Unit identified two men from Montebello, a 20-year-old and a 27-year-old, as organizers of the mail thefts in affluent communities in Ventura and Los Angeles counties detailed the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.
According to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, the stolen checks were being cashed using either stolen or fictitious identification through online banking or in person at various banks across Southern California resulting in several thousand dollars in losses.
The two Montebello men were determined to have been using the stolen money to purchase or illegally acquire luxury and high-end performance vehicles which were being used during the mail thefts in Ventura County added the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.
The Ventura County Sheriff's Office shared that on Dec. 11, detectives executed a search warrant at a home the pair shared in Montebello and discovered about $35,000 in cash, hundreds of checks that are suspected to have been stolen, illegal firearms, several pieces of expensive jewelry, several gaming computers and the following vehicles:
- A 2016 Lamborghini Huracan with an estimated value of $237,000
- A 2017 Audi RS7 with an estimated value of $129,500
- A 2023 Cadillac Escalade with an estimated value of $90,000
- A 2021 Cadillac Escalade with an estimated value of $80,000
- A 2019 Mini Cooper Countryman with an estimated value of $27,000
- A 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor Conversion with an estimated value of $20,000
- A 2024 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with an estimated value of $91,000
- An unknown make and model ATV of unknown value
Following the search of their home, both men were taken into custody and booked on charges of mail theft, identity theft, and conspiracy to commit a crime noted the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.
Detectives intend to file additional charges of vehicle registration fraud one DMV investigators complete their investigation and the U.S. Postal Service has worked to further secure the targeted mailboxes added the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.
The investigation into a coordinated mail theft organization is ongoing and anyone with more information is asked to contact Detective Steve Bibian at 805-677-8733 or Detective Evert Ponce at 805-677-8772.
Tips about this case or other criminal activity can be shared while remaining anonymous by calling the Ventura County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
