Mail Theft Suspect Arrested In Mission Viejo

MISSION VIEJO, CA — Orange County Sheriff's Department deputies caught a suspect tampering with multiple mailboxes this week, the department reported.

"On Monday, just before midnight, an alert resident noticed a suspicious vehicle in the area of Santa Margarita and Melinda," Mission Viejo Police services reported on social media.

Deputies arrived at the scene, though the vehicle was nowhere to be found.

"They continued to check the surrounding area and found the car in question parked next to a set of mailboxes that appeared to have been tampered with," MV police services said.

Deputies detained the driver and during the investigation and recovered mail from multiple victims in Orange and Riverside County.

The suspect, a resident of Riverside County, was found with drug paraphernalia, and driver licenses and credit cards from other victims, they said. The suspect's name and city of residence was not yet released.

Economic Crimes investigators reached out to USPS postal inspectors, and the case is ongoing, they reported.

"This is a great example of the community and law enforcement working together to spread awareness about crime trends and the success of reporting suspicious activity to keep our community safe," Lt. Quyen Vuong said.

Always remember, if you see something, say something.

Please continue to stay alert and report suspicious activity by calling Sheriff's Dispatch at 949-770-6011

This is a developing report. Please refresh for the latest information.