YONKERS – Two Yonkers residents, one of whom worked as a letter carrier, have been arrested in the city’s mail-theft investigation, police said.

Lorell Legrand, who worked for the U.S. Postal Service for about a year before resigning recently, and Shaquille Wiltshire were recently arrested and accused of stealing thousands of dollars through a mail-theft scam, Yonkers Police Commissioner Charles Gardner said at a press conference today at the corner of Herriot Street and South Broadway.

Gardner said more arrests are expected in the investigation, which also led to three arrests in May and which has dealt with more than $650,000 stolen from about 95 people this year.

Officials have said thieves have stolen mail in Yonkers and other local communities by fishing in mail collection boxes or using keys to open them up. The Postal Service has been upgrading security on Yonkers’ mail collection boxes, which should be completed by the end of June, Mayor Mike Spano said. source

Yonkers Police arrest former USPS employee in connection with mail theft

Investigations continuing with Local and Federal authorities

Today Mayor Mike Spano, Police Commissioner Charles Gardner, and officials from the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office held a press conference announcing the arrest of a former United States Postal Service employee in connection with several incidents of check washing, fraud, and identity theft.

For the past several months, members of the Yonkers Police Department, Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, United States Postal Inspection Service, and partner law enforcement agencies in neighboring jurisdictions have been investigating multiple incidents of mail theft in the City of Yonkers and surrounding areas. The theft of mail often leads to compromised bank accounts, loss of funds, fraudulent charges and more. These occurrences have not been limited to Westchester County, and reports indicate this has been a regional and even national issue.

Yonkers Police Officers and Detectives, working closely with our Local and Federal partners, have been working diligently to apprehend the perpetrators of these crimes. Investigators have conducted undercover surveillance of mailboxes and target locations, reviewed countless hours of video recordings, and collaborated with bank officials to identify the persons responsible for defrauding their customers. Multiple search warrants have been executed and evidence has been recovered. Additionally, Precincts have been conducting directed patrols at target locations which most recently netted the arrests of the three defendants for mailbox fishing early last month.

Investigation has now yielded sufficient evidence to charge a former employee of the Postal Service in connection with these mail thefts. Lorell Lee LEGRAND, a 30 year old female resident of 80 School Street, Yonkers, has been arrested and charged with the following:

Count One – Grand Larceny 4’, a Class E Felony of the New York State Penal Law

Count Two – Identity Theft 2’, a Class E Felony of the New York State Penal Law

Count Three – Identity Theft 2’, a Class E Felony of the New York State Penal Law

Count Four – Identity Theft 2’, a Class E Felony of the New York State Penal Law

It is alleged that LEGRAND, acting in concert with others, deposited forged checks into her bank account(s) and defrauded the account holders of those checks. Investigators have determined that the targeted checks were mailed from the following locations:

– Mailbox located at Shonnard Place and Convent Avenue

– Mailbox located at Yonkers Avenue and Seminary Avenue

– Mailbox located at Page Avenue and Westerly Street

– Post Office at 915 Yonkers Avenue

LEGRAND was a City Carrier Assistant who resigned from the Postal Service in May of this year; her stations included the Post Offices at 335 South Broadway and 915 Yonkers Avenue. It is believed that LEGRAND was actively involved with a group of individuals who targeted mail sent through the USPS system; it is likely that the mail thefts occurred at the mailbox level, however Yonkers Police and Postal Inspectors are working to identify the exact point of interception. As this is an active and continuing investigation, additional arrests are anticipated.

This arrest was made possible due to the invaluable support of and collaboration with the United States Postal Inspection Service. Postal Authorities are continuing to fortify mailboxes in the area, including enhancing mailbox security and the locking mechanisms. Additionally, boxes are being modified with a smaller slot for mail to deter theft, and upgraded security features to eliminate entry into the box by unauthorized personnel. These features coupled with continued investigations reflect the unified commitment to keep mail safe. The Yonkers Police Department has seen a decrease in reported larcenies from mailboxes since the rollout of upgraded security features, however secondary effects from earlier incidents are continuing to be reported and investigated.

Mayor Mike Spano stated, “I applaud our Yonkers Police Department, Westchester County DA’s Office and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for collaborating to apprehend the individuals who have threatened the trust of our U.S. mail system. We will continue to work diligently so that residents in our area can once again feel safe and secure when using a U.S. mailbox.”

Police Commissioner Charles Gardner stated, “These arrests reflect the unwavering commitment and collaborative efforts of the Yonkers Police Department and our law enforcement partners in apprehending the perpetrators responsible for violating the personal and financial security of our residents. Our message is clear – if you steal mail in the City of Yonkers, we will find you, arrest you, and deliver you into the Criminal Justice System where you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. stated, “Mail theft throughout Westchester County and, specifically, here in Yonkers has reached epidemic proportions. We know police are working hard to combat the criminals who are affecting the lives of so many of our residents. We commend Yonkers Police and the United States Postal Inspection Service for their collaboration in bringing this suspect to justice and continuing efforts to stop this crime wave.”

United States Postal Inspection Service Inspector-in-Charge Peter R. Rendina stated, “The arrest of these individuals reflect the continued efforts of Postal Inspectors and their law enforcement partners to safeguard the U.S. Mail for our Postal Service customers and employees. It is rewarding to see the Postal Inspection Service’s multi-layered approach of hardening collection boxes from theft; providing prevention tips to the consumer and arresting criminals resulted in fewer larcenies from mailboxes in recent weeks.”

In addition to LEGRAND’s arrest, these on-going investigations yielded evidence to charge another defendant in connection with mail theft. Shaquille WILTSHIRE, a 22 year old male resident also of 80 School Street, Yonkers, was arrested by members of the New York City Police Department on May 18th in a collaborative inter-agency effort including Yonkers Police, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the NYPD. WILTSHIRE is alleged to have possessed washed checks from stolen Yonkers mail in an effort to commit identity theft and fraud. WILTSHIRE was charged with felonies and misdemeanors and his case is being prosecuted by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.

While these arrests reinforce law enforcement’s sworn commitment to protect the mail, residents should still remember the following tips if you have safety concerns with the blue collection box in your area:

– Deposit your mail inside at a local Post Office

– Use a secure receptacle at your place of business

– Hand your mail to a uniformed letter carrier

– Report any suspicious activity at mailboxes by calling (914) 377-7900; emergencies dial 9-1-1

– Use gel based pens (Uni-ball 207, Pilot G-2) when writing checks

– Check with your bank if you believe you have been a victim and to search for other bill payment options.

LEGRAND was arrested on June 5th and arraigned on June 6th; she has been remanded to the Westchester County Jail with bail set at $35,000 cash or bond and her next scheduled court date is June 25th. The prosecution of this case is being managed by the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.

Anyone with information regarding mail theft is encouraged to contact the Yonkers Police Detective Division at (914) 377-7730 – all calls will remain confidential. 100% anonymous tips can be sent by texting the key word YPD plus the tip to 847411. Anonymous tips can also be sent to us directly through the Yonkers PD Tips app which can be downloaded for free to any Apple or Android device.

NOTE: Booking charges are merely accusations and the defendant(s) are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. ###