Another arrest has been made in a huge mail theft case.
A 42-year-old Redmond woman was in Kitsap County Superior Court Dec. 29 after being charged with second-degree robbery, second-degree burglary and second-degree identity theft. Bail was set at $200,000. All total, she faces 25 years in prison and/or up to $50,000 in fines.
Court papers say Port Gamble S’Klallam police spotted a stolen car Oct. 24, 2022. Inside they found 50 credit cards, 66 checks stolen from King County, 13 identification cards, a passport, a handgun and ammunition. Some of the items were connected to the theft of mail at the Port Orchard post office Oct. 17. Thieves stole the mail from inside the facility and were confronted by a postal employee, who backed off once threatened.
On Nov. 3, the Redmond woman reportedly confessed to a similar theft at the Bremerton post office Oct. 14. Postal employees say 2,135 pieces of mail from 981 customers were stolen. She also confessed to stealing mail from Bellevue, Kirkland and Tukwila post offices.
Before her arrest, recorded jail conversations with another suspect mentioned fraud, identity theft and stealing mail. “We do what we do. It’s the name of the game. It’s what we do. We do this —— together. Know what I’m sayin’. I’m not gonna just stop because it’s the price, that is, you know what I mean,” one recording says.
The Redmond woman already has been convicted of eight felonies, including residential burglary, retail theft, firearm possession, forgery, robbery and possession of stolen property. She also has 16 gross misdemeanors, including attempting to jump bail.
The pair are suspects in cases connected to Auburn, Kirkland, King County, Port Gamble, Port Orchard, Kitsap County, Department of Corrections and the U.S. Postal Service.