Police: Woman caught with mail from 17 addresses in Renton in suspected theft
Dec 17, 2024, 5:14 PM | Updated: Dec 18, 2024, 2:03 pm
A Renton Police Department vehicle responds to a shooting in 2024. (Image courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Image courtesy of KIRO 7)
The Renton Police Department (RPD) is warning residents to check their mail frequently as the holiday season means mail theft is on the rise.
Most recently, the RPD says it caught one suspect with 46 pieces of mail from at least 17 homes.
It happened around 3:15 a.m. Nov. 21 in the Kennydale neighborhood just south of May Creek Park.
Previous coverage from Sam Campbell: Wedgwood master mail key stolen, theft spreads to another Seattle neighborhood
“We received a 911 call from a community member who had said that they had actually installed an alarm on the mailbox due to previous thefts,” said Zoe Birkbeck, a spokesperson with RPD. “He had awoken to the alarm going off and witnessed two individuals taking mail from his mailbox.”
Police stopped them nearby and let one of those suspects go, but did not say why. Body camera video released by the department shows a woman telling officers that mail found in her bag does not belong to her.
She is now facing a felony charge of mail theft.
“We do see an increase of mail theft during the holidays,” Birkbeck said. “They’re looking for anything that may possibly be of value.”
Police advise concerned neighbors either check their mail as regularly as possible or to install alarms or locks within their home mailbox.
Head here or tap on the player below to listen to a discussion about this case on “The Jake and Spike Show.”
Sam Campbell is a reporter, editor and anchor at KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Sam’s stories here. Follow Sam on X, or email him here.
