Updated Feb 19, 5:13 p.m.–
Citrus Heights police said a pair of suspects were arrested on suspicion of stealing mail from at least 81 people, after a concerned citizen called to report a “suspicious moving truck” around 5:30 a.m. Thursday.
In a news release issued Friday afternoon, police said the caller had reported a truck was stopping at mailboxes in the Crosswoods Circle area of Citrus Heights, occupied by two individuals with flashlights who were taking items from inside the mailboxes.
Police said after locating the truck and detaining its two occupants, officers found “hundreds of pieces of mail” inside, not belonging to the suspects. Upon developing “probable cause” that the pair were responsible for stealing mail from at least 81 people, police said they arrested 40-year-old Jennifer Carroll of Citrus Heights, and 39-year-old Alwin Santiago of Elk Grove.
The pair were booked on multiple charges, including receiving stolen property, conspiracy, and possession of a controlled substance.
Police said they are still investigating the mail thefts and will be working with the United States Postal Service to return the mail to proper owners.
“We would like to thank the concerned citizen who reported the crime and the active Neighborhood Watch Program in the Crosswoods Community of Citrus Heights,” police said in the news release. “Reporting suspicious activity in your neighborhoods is an essential part of our community policing programs.”
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As a prevention tip, police said they recommend residents familiarize themselves with postal drop-off times and retrieve mail shortly after it arrives.
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