Palo Alto Police Seek 3rd Of 3 Alleged Mail Thieves

PALO ALTO - Palo Alto police are looking for one of three mail theft suspects who fled from an officer and crashed a car in Mountain View, where they uncovered items stolen from San Mateo County residents earlier this month.

The two captured suspects, Yesenia Molina and Luis Gregorio Calvillo, were arrested on suspicion of misappropriation of lost property and resisting arrest during the early morning of June 7, Palo Alto police said.

Investigators are working on identifying the third outstanding suspect, police said.

At about 3:40 a.m. that day, officers responded to a report of a possible mail theft happening in the 400 block of Monroe Drive, police said.

The caller saw someone get dropped off from a car and check mailboxes near the street, according to police.

The caller also gave the dispatch center a description of the car, later identified as a white 1995 Nissan Pathfinder, that an officer quickly saw leave the neighborhood, police said.

The officer tried to conduct a car stop on the Nissan, which drove slowly for a few blocks before it came to stop at Miller Avenue and San Antonio Road in Mountain View, police said.

The suspect driver sped away against the flow of traffic on San Antonio Road as the officer stepped out of his police car, according to police.

The officer didn't pursue the Nissan, but quickly saw it crash into a concrete divider at the ramp from eastbound San Antonio Road to southbound Central Expressway.

Three people fled from the vehicle as the officer approached, police said.

Additional officers arrive and were able to stop Molina and Calvillo, but were unable to find the third male suspect despite a thorough search with assistance from a police K-9 unit.

No injuries were reported from the crash or arrests, police said.

In the car, officers found multiple items taken from mailboxes at homes in Atherton and Menlo Park, but none from Palo Alto, police said.

Molina allegedly had a driver's license that belonged to a Menlo Park woman and a Redwood City man's phone, according to police.

Investigators got in touch with the owners of the items and determined they were either stolen or lost, police said.

Molina also allegedly gave a false name to officers to hide the fact that she was a wanted parolee for threatening a witness with force or violence, police said.

Calvillo, who owned the Nissan, was apparently found with an East Palo Alto man's passport, but police have been unable to contact its rightful owner, according to police.

Molina, 30, was arrested on suspicion of parole violation, possession of stolen property and providing a false identity to police, police said.

Calvillo is suspected of violating probation, mail theft and misappropriation of lost property, police said.

Calvillo is also probation for grand theft in San Mateo County, according to police.

Officers have also been in touch with inspectors from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in relation to the alleged mail thefts, police said.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call police dispatch at (650) 329-2413.

Those who wish to remain anonymous may send an email to paloalto@tipnow.org or send a text message or voice mail to (650) 383-8984.

-Bay City News, images via Palo Alto police