Three men are facing charges after Bedford detectives say they watched one of them yank mail out of a blue USPS drop box near the Bedford Hills Post Office late Thursday night, then stuff the envelopes down his pants while two alleged accomplices stood watch. Officers had the area under surveillance and moved in quickly, taking all three into custody without incident. Police say the case is tied to a recent streak of collection-box thefts across northern Westchester.
Investigation and arrests
Town of Bedford investigators say they were already tracking the suspects and a vehicle linked to earlier incidents, using a mix of surveillance cameras, license-plate-reader technology and old-fashioned physical surveillance, according to Daily Voice. Around 11 p.m., officers spotted the car parked by the Bedford Hills Post Office, watched three men get out, and saw one walk up to a blue USPS collection box and remove multiple items, police said. Detectives then closed in and arrested the trio without a struggle.
Charges and court date
The men were identified as 26-year-old Breilin Mirabel Matos of Mount Vernon, 29-year-old Orbik Gutierrez of the Bronx and 23-year-old Raymond Duluc Nathanial of the Bronx. All three face multiple counts, including four counts of petit larceny, fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, possession of burglar’s tools and sixth-degree conspiracy, as reported by Daily Voice. Bedford police said the arrests cap a weeks-long investigation into post office drop-box thefts. The defendants are scheduled to appear in Bedford Town Court on June 10.
Mailbox 'fishing' and why it keeps coming back
Authorities say the Bedford case fits a pattern seen across northern Westchester, where thieves use adhesive or simple "fishing" rigs to pull letters out of collection boxes. Bedford Police Lt. Jeffrey Gulick told The Recorder that "it's been going on for a few weeks now." Reporters note that the Postal Service has tried to blunt the problem with box "hardening" measures such as narrower slots and electronic locks, but older master-key "arrow" locks remain a weak spot.
What to do if your mail was stolen
If you think your mail was intercepted, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service advises filing an online report or calling 1-877-876-2455. Officials say victims should contact their bank to stop payments if checks are missing, preserve any altered checks, and provide copies to police and postal inspectors. Investigators also urge residents to review any nearby security footage and share relevant clips with authorities.
Past case shows how simple the scam can be
One of the defendants, Orbik Gutierrez, previously pleaded guilty in a Queens mailbox-fishing case and was sentenced in 2018 after prosecutors said he used a bottle on a string coated with adhesive to snag envelopes from a blue box, according to QNS. That earlier case highlighted how these schemes often rely on timing and low-tech tools rather than elaborate gear.
