A routine traffic stop over a stolen license plate led to a far more serious investigation that uncovered what police call a mail theft operation. A couple in Texas were arrested after officers and investigators found hundreds of stolen mail in their vehicle and residences. In fact, they recovered so much evidence that detectives are still sorting through all the documents and parcels as they reach out to every affected victim.
Thieving couple caught with firearms, stolen credit cards, and more
On September 15 in the early morning, officers detained 37-year-old Sean Christopher Martinez and 33-year-old Skylar Cheri Carter and “discovered nearly 400 pieces of stolen mail and parcels” in their vehicle, according to a post by the Hollywood Park Police Department in Texas on its official Facebook page.
The couple was initially stopped near the 1000 block of N. Loop 1604 E after officers discovered that the license plate on the vehicle was stolen. While the thieves were detained, a subsequence search of the vehicle uncovered more than just the hundreds of stolen mail. They also found burglary tools, narcotics, counterfeit postal master keys, vehicle diagnostic theft devices, and a loaded firearm.
Following the traffic stop, Hollywood Park Police further searched Martinez’s residence as well as a hotel room connected to the couple. Along with additional stolen mail, including checks, identity documents, and credit cards, they found an “AR-15-style rifle,” a “ghost” handgun kit, and equipment involved in forging counterfeit identification documents. If that wasn’t enough, they uncovered more counterfeit postal box keys and “additional quantities of methamphetamine.”…