4 arrested in connection with large mail theft case in Delaware County

MEDIA, Pa. (WPVI) -- Four people are facing charges for stealing mail across the Delaware Valley.

Investigators say they targeted one street in Media and managed to get their hands on several checks.

"The message is, 'We're coming for you.' You cannot steal mail and get away with it in Delaware County or in the United States, frankly. This is a federal offense, as well as a state offense," said Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer.

Police have charged 23-year-old Alvin Almonte, of Pennsauken, N.J, 21-year-old Utibe Bassey, of Sicklerville, N.J., 31-year-old Erik Delone, of Philadelphia, and 23-year-old Adrian Ramirez, of Camden, N.J., with theft of mail, receiving stolen property and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Almonte is also facing charges for fraudulent use of a license plate.

According to the criminal complaint, this began as a traffic stop after an officer observed what he believed to be a suspicious car driving around Media.

The vehicle, a 2009 Acura TSX, was stopped in the 200 block of N. Jackson Street. The driver was cited for having an invalid license and registration.

During the traffic stop and following search, the officer found multiple mail packages and large manila envelopes addressed to Pleasantville, NJ, Media, Pa. addresses, and also locations in Glen Mills, Pa..

"One of the defendants in the search incident to his arrest had checks in his pockets made out to someone else," said Stollsteimer.

According to the affidavit, one check totaling $742 was from the Spruce Street Baptist Church in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, written to a EJ Harrold Inc., as well as a check from a Florida Trust account written to a Feng Juan Yang in the amount of $2,458.

Action News has reported on mail theft throughout the Delaware Valley for years.

Recently, Lower Moreland police alerted residents to a recent surge in stolen checks from mail deposited in outdoor post office mailboxes.

Urging people to hand-deliver mail inside the post office instead.

"It was never an issue growing up as a kid, never even thought about it," said Shannon Simpson of Media. "It's a little scary."

Nationally, data from the United States Postal Inspection Service shows robberies of carriers are down, and they continue to deploy high-security collection boxes around the country.

More than 23,000 have been installed nationwide since May of 2023, according to testimony by Postal Inspector Brendan Donahue in front of Congress in July.

The four defendants remain in jail, each on a $175,000 bail.

They're set to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on August 8.