Mail thieves nabbed by eagle-eyed deputies in a sting operation were found with a car full of stolen goods on Thursday, law enforcement officials said. Authorities from the Riverside Sheriff's Palm Desert Station put a stop to an interstate mail burglary spree with the arrest of two Los Angeles men, according to a statement from the department's Sergeant Chris Gelinas.
The culprit's vehicle, filled to the brim with ill-gotten gains, was flagged for its involvement in mail carrier burglaries across multiple counties. Deputies landed on the wanted wagon in Rancho Mirage at around 2:10 pm and conducted a traffic stop with assistance from several Special Enforcement Teams. "During a search of the vehicle, deputies located several items of mail belonging to 16 different victims, along with stolen checks, stolen credit cards, and burglary tools," as reported by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.
Sixto Melendez, 28, and Mark Huguez, 48, were subsequently arrested and booked into the John Benoit Detention Center facing charges of conspiracy and multiple theft-related offenses. The stolen items recovered from the suspects' vehicle belonged to victims from Riverside County, San Bernadino County, and Los Angeles County, reflecting a wide net of criminal activity that law enforcement worked diligently to close.
The investigation remains active, with deputies collaborating with the United Postal Inspection Service to unearth further victims caught in the theft ring. Anyone with information pertinent to the case is urged to come forward and contact Deputy Cody Mayer with the Rancho Mirage Special Enforcement Team at the Palm Desert Sheriff's Station. The announcement made no mention of additional details, which remain under wraps at this time.
