A suspected mail thief in Snohomish County is now behind bars and police say they are just starting to find out how many victims there are.
The 37-year-old suspect a first appearance in Snohomish County court on Thursday after he was arrested in Everett the day before.
Lynnwood PD made the arrest and released video they say shows the man getting into a cluster mailbox and dumping victims’ mail into a bag.
Police say he targeted mailboxes throughout Arlington, Marysville and Stanwood.
Lynnwood police say they arrested him for DUI last month.
“Through the course of that arrest an investigation yielded a lot of fraud, then the rabbit hole just got deeper,” said Commander Joe Dickinson.
Police say he stole victims’ personal information to get access to bank accounts and buy stuff.
“Just found more and more victims, upward of 80 to 100, maybe more. We’re not sure – because this spans from not just Lynnwood, Bothell, other agencies, other communities that are affected,” said Dickinson.
Police say he used counterfeit postal keys and even disguised himself as a postal worker.
“It appears he somehow required a USPS uniform or jacket – at least presented himself in that manner during one of the fraud transactions and it’s pretty bold,” said Dickinson.
A judge found probable cause for ID theft and forgery. Charges are expected to be filed sometime Friday.
He is now held on $100,000 bail.