12.11.14 – U.S. postal inspectors are warning people around Southern California about an increase in mail thefts this holiday season. In some cases, the thieves are likely linked to organized crime, authorities say.
“Organizations that are doing it now are those old gangs that have been around for 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years,” said an inspector, who requested anonymity because of ongoing undercover investigations. “They’ve just found a new way to make money.”
The inspector provided surveillance video, which she says shows two suspected gang members stealing mail from a home in North Long Beach. They can be seen approaching, grabbing the letters, and disappearing in less than 2 minutes.
The investigator said that in Long Beach mail theft is becoming the vice of choice for rival gangs, replacing drugs and violent crime