COACHELLA – (INT) – The epidemic of mail theft across the Inland Empire has reached a new level.

Two suspects have been caught after stealing a large amount of mail from the Post Office on Sixth Street. A tip from a witness took sheriff’s deputies to a fast food restaurant where Eduardo Diaz-Delgado, 22, and a 17-year-old boy, both from Perris, were arrested. Delgado was also wanted for a probation violation.

The stolen mail was recovered.

It was the second time in recent weeks when mail was stolen from an Inland Empire Post Office.

There has been an ongoing trend of theft from residential mail boxes in recent years. Crews of thieves are routinely breaking open locked boxes in search of anything of value. Many are bent on identity theft.

Neither local police or postal officials have been willing to post surveillance in hopes of capturing the thieves.

Story Date: February 8, 2016