https://patch.com/california/martinez/s/gwj97/accused-thieves-had-mail-from-200-victims-across-ca-police?utm_source=alert-breakingnews&utm_medium=email&utm_term=police-fire&utm_campaign=alert 

Accused Thieves Had Mail From 200 Victims Across CA:

Petaluma police are working with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to notify victims in several cities in 14 counties spanning California.
By Maggie Fusek, Patch Staff
Nov 5, 2019 2:02 pm ET | Updated Nov 5, 2019 2:11 pm ET

Accused mail thieves Juan Nunez-Alvarado and Anderson Hernandez were booked into Sonoma County Jail Monday, Nov. 4, 2019, according to Petaluma police.


PETALUMA, CA — Two Los Angeles men were arrested Monday in Petaluma with mail belonging to some 200 people in Sonoma County and 14 other California counties, according to the Petaluma Police Department.

The pair, 30-year-old Juan Nunez-Alvarado and 32-year-old Anderson Hernandez, came to the attention of police around 9 a.m. Monday when Nunez-Alvarado tried to cash a fraudulent $1,100 personal check at a bank on South McDowell Boulevard, Petaluma police Sgt. Lance Novello said.

"Officers contacted Juan Nunez-Alvarado as he exited the bank and walked to his vehicle, in which Anderson Hernandez was sitting," Novello said. "Nunez-Alvarado provided a convoluted explanation regarding the $1,100.00 personal check. Bank staff found information on the check had been altered and the account holder did not know either subject."

As officers were detaining Nunez-Alvarado, they found him in possession of more personal checks that were not in his name, Novello said.

"As officers spoke with Hernandez, they noticed a large, open trash bag containing what appeared to be opened mail and initiated a more thorough search," Novello said. "An extensive amount of mail and checks, not in either subject's name, were located."

Officers arrested the pair from Southern California on suspicion of mail theft.

"Officers spent hours sorting the opened mail, as well as business and personal checks, which were already separated by the suspects," Novello said. "It was eventually learned there were over 200 suspected victims in several cities in 14 counties stretching the length of California."

Fifty-seven of the suspected victims live in Sonoma County and officers are working to contact them, Novello said.

Petaluma police are also working with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to notify the suspected victims outside of Sonoma County.

Police believe Nunez-Alvarado and Hernandez took outgoing mail left in USPS mailboxes over the weekend of Nov. 2-3, as mail is not removed from mailboxes on the weekends.

Nunez-Alvarado was booked into Sonoma County jail on suspicion of burglary, forgery, passing fictitious checks, intent to defraud 10 or more persons, and possession of controlled substance. His bail was set at $20,000.

Hernandez was booked into jail on suspicion of possessing fictitious checks and intent to defraud 10 or more persons. His bail was set at $10,000.

Both are scheduled to appear in court Wednesday afternoon.

"Petaluma PD strongly encourages you, if not paying bills online, to place outgoing bills directly in your local Post Office branch instead of mailboxes, and to not leave mail in boxes on weekends," Novello said.