Police have arrested a man suspected of using an official USPS master key to steal mail from residents across Gig Harbor.
Gig Harbor police say they received numerous complaints of lost or stolen mail from community mailbox banks throughout the city over the past several weeks.
Additionally, Gig Harbor PD says that the United States Postal Service (USPS) issued a notice to one homeowners’ association, “indicating their belief that a missing, counterfeit, or replicated USPS master key may be in circulation and used by criminal elements to commit mail theft and related crimes, including fraud and possession of stolen mail.”
Gig Harbor PD says that due to the sensitive nature of the crime, much of the investigation was conducted discreetly. On the evening of September 9, detectives reportedly served a search warrant on a vehicle linked to this case and several other investigations within the city limits of Gig Harbor.
The search led investigators and forensic personnel to the discovery and recovery of an official USPS master key.
Detectives also found a gun, a significant amount of narcotics, and a “large quantity of stolen mail” originating from addresses within Gig Harbor.
A 34-year-old man was arrested and is currently being held in the Pierce County Jail on multiple charges related to this case and others spanning several jurisdictions, Gig Harbor PD reported, adding that all mail evidence recovered in this case has been released to the United States Postal Inspection Service for auditing and formal owner notification.