SANTA MONICA—On Friday, May 26, Lt. Erika Aklufi of the Santa Monica Police Department emailed in a press release to Canyon News the arrest of two suspects in connection with the theft of arrow postal keys, and other mail from the United States Postal Service which is a federal crime.
Security footage obtained by the SMPD from a nearby apartment building captured the suspects entering the secured mail room of the apartment complex and leaving with the residents’ mail and packages.
“Just before midnight on May 20, 2023, Santa Monica Police Department officers patrolling in the 2000 block of 4th Street were flagged by a citizen who was chasing a mail theft suspect. Officers detained the suspect who was in possession of multiple counterfeit United States Postal Service Arrow keys [federal offense]. Other officers arrived on scene and discovered a second suspect inside a vehicle who was also detained. Inside the vehicle, officers found stolen pieces of mail, packages, electronics, drugs [crack cocaine] and drug paraphernalia. As officers investigated the incident, they discovered multiple mail packages on a sidewalk, dropped by the suspects as they fled from an apartment building. Officers walked to several addresses and returned the stolen mail and packages. Additional mail belonging to several victims with Los Angeles addresses was booked pending notification of the victims,” the SMPD stated.
Anyone with details related to these individuals or the incident is asked to contact our Investigations Division during business hours at 310-458-8451.