LYNNWOOD — Police recently arrested three suspected mail thieves at the same house where detectives broke up an alleged counterfeit ring in October.
Investigators received information Dec. 13 from the Sammamish Police Department in King County that there was a large quantity of stolen mail at a townhouse in Lynnwood, Sgt. Jerry Riener said.
Police watched the house and spotted a stolen vehicle driven by a man who they’d arrested in October in connection with counterfeit money, checks and identity theft, Riener said.
Police searched the house early Dec. 14 morning and found stolen mail from addresses in Edmonds, Lynnwood, Bothell, Everett and Sammamish.
Police arrested two men and one woman for investigation of possessing stolen property, forgery and drugs.
Investigators seized computers and other evidence from the house.
Less than two months before they’d seized computers thought to be used to make bogus traveler’s checks and money.
They’d also found what appeared to be stolen mail containing personal information.
The U.S. Postal Service was sorting through the mail seized Dec. 14 to help return it to owners.
“There are bags and bags of mail. It was in trash containers,” Riener said.
Investigators used the information to solve several forgery cases at businesses in Lynnwood, he said. It appears that the suspects were using the stolen mail to forge stolen checks or create fake identities.
Police continue to investigate the case, and more arrests are possible.
Diana Hefley is a reporter with The Herald in Everett.
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