3 males face federal fees tied to theft of $800,000 in stolen checks from publish places of work

Three males face mail theft, financial institution fraud and different federal fees with authorities accusing them of stealing mail from publish places of work all through Southern California and about $800,000 from victims by depositing stolen checks and instantly withdrawing the money.

They ran a scheme from November 2022 to August 2023, U.S. Postal Inspection Service officers stated, working with 4 juveniles and others who offered bank-account data.

One of the boys and one of many juveniles first deposited a stolen test for $1,800 at a Wells Fargo financial institution department in Highland Park on Nov. 28, 2022, in accordance with a federal grand jury indictment laying out the allegations and the costs.

Three weeks later, mail was stolen from an residence complicated in Highland Park and one of many males started soliciting others on social media asking for financial institution accounts that had been greater than two years outdated in an effort to deposit stolen checks, court docket information present. Those who equipped their financial institution data would get a minimize of the stolen cash, authorities stated.

Over the following months, two of the boys and juveniles allegedly stole mail from the again docks of publish places of work in Studio City, Azusa, Upland, Anaheim, El Segundo and West Hills, court docket paperwork contend.

At least a number of the suspects unsuccessfully tried to steal mail from branches in La Canada, the place the doorways had been locked, and in La Mirada, the place they had been confronted by an worker, the indictment says. They are also accused of conducting surveillance on branches in Riverside and Corona however didn’t steal mail from both location.

The third man offered a automobile for $600, the indictment says, that was used to commit publish workplace robberies.

After stealing mail from an Anaheim department on East Lincoln Avenue on April 4, 2023, two of the boys and three juveniles stopped in a car parking zone behind a restaurant on State College Boulevard to open the mail, separate stolen checks and discard the remaining in a close-by dumpster, court docket paperwork say.

An Anaheim police officer approached the automobile, however the suspects fled — main police on a pursuit on the 57 and 60 freeways earlier than the suspects ditched the automobile in Rowland Heights and ran off. While fleeing police on the freeway, the suspects threw stolen mail out of the home windows, court docket paperwork present.