Authorities say a 28-year-old man is behind a two-month wave of armed robberies targeting United States Postal Service letter carriers across the San Fernando Valley, with the suspect allegedly pulling a gun, grabbing postal keys and scanners, then taking off in a white Lexus.
Los Angeles police arrested the man on Feb. 22 and say evidence recovered at the time of the arrest links him to multiple robberies in the area. Investigators believe there may be more victims who have not yet reported similar encounters.
The suspect was identified by Los Angeles police as 28-year-old Andranik Naghdalyan. Detectives say the string of robberies stretched from Dec. 3, 2025, through Feb. 22, 2026, in neighborhoods including Valley Village, Studio City and Sherman Oaks, according to CBS Los Angeles. In each case, an armed man allegedly confronted on-duty carriers, demanded keys and electronic scanners, then climbed into a white Lexus and drove off. LAPD says detectives coordinated closely with federal postal inspectors as they tried to determine whether there were additional victims.
According to NBC Los Angeles, officers ultimately located and stopped the Lexus at Tyrone Street and Hamlin Avenue in Van Nuys on Feb. 22. Police say they recovered evidence tying the driver to the robberies and took him into custody. He was booked on suspicion of robbery, and an initial court date had not yet been announced at the time of reporting. Detectives say they are now combing through neighborhood surveillance footage and tips for any other unreported incidents that fit the same pattern.
Investigation and Context
Officials describe the case as a joint effort between LAPD investigators and the United States Postal Inspection Service, a partnership that has become more common as attacks on postal workers climb. A U.S. Government Accountability Office analysis found that serious crime cases involving postal employees and property roughly doubled between 2019 and 2023, driven largely by a surge in robberies. The GAO report also flags staffing concerns for postal law enforcement, which is one reason federal inspectors frequently team up with local police on cases like this.
Potential Federal Charges
Because the alleged victims in this case are federal postal employees, prosecutors could pursue charges in federal court under 18 U.S.C. § 2114. That statute makes it a crime to rob or assault anyone who is lawfully handling U.S. mail or other federal property, and it allows for significantly higher penalties if a dangerous weapon is used or someone is injured. Readers can review the full statute text at the Legal Information Institute for more detail on the potential sentencing range.
Investigators are asking anyone who believes they were targeted in a similar way, has dashcam or doorbell-camera footage, or has information about the robberies to contact the LAPD Van Nuys Division or the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For the initial reporting and a rundown of the affected neighborhoods, see coverage from CBS Los Angeles and NBC Los Angeles.
