Milpitas detectives say one suspected mail thief is off the streets after an arrest tied to a November mailroom break-in on the 1800 block of S. Milpitas Boulevard. According to the department, a 30-year-old San Francisco man was taken into custody and booked into the Santa Clara County jail after officers served a search warrant at his home last Thursday, where they reported finding stolen mail and equipment they believe could fuel identity fraud. Investigators say surveillance video from the November theft showed two people grabbing stacks of mail, and they are still working to track down the second suspect or any others involved.
Police: Warrant Turned Up Passports, Embossers, And 3D Printers
In a social media update, the Milpitas Police Department said detectives serving the warrant uncovered additional stolen mail along with passports, embossers, 3D printers, and other gear at the suspect’s residence. Investigators say that the collection of items suggests a larger identity theft operation rather than a one-off mail grab. According to Milpitas Police, the original theft happened in a mailroom on the 1800 block of S. Milpitas Boulevard, where surveillance footage captured two people pulling numerous pieces of mail.
📬 Mail Theft Investigation UpdateBack in November 2025, Milpitas police officers investigated a mailroom theft at the 1800-Block of S. Milpitas Blvd after two suspects were caught on surveillance cameras stealing numerous pieces of mail.Following up on surveillance footage… pic.twitter.com/dphZb9vhnk
— Milpitas Police (@MilpitasPD) February 3, 2026
Neighbors Report Months Of Mail And Package Thefts
Residents in Milpitas will not be shocked to hear about another mail theft case. Local coverage has detailed a run of mailbox and package thefts across several neighborhoods, with homeowners’ associations and residents saying thieves have used counterfeit keys and other tricks to get into cluster mailboxes. The Milpitas Beat has reported on incidents in Traverse and other developments and notes that dozens, and possibly hundreds, of homes have been touched by these thefts as police work to determine which cases are connected.
What Stolen Passports And Embossers Can Be Used For
Detectives say the seized passports and embossing tools are not just odd collectibles. Those items can be used to fabricate identification documents or build fake records to open accounts, take out credit, or pull off other financial crimes in someone else’s name. Under federal law, theft or receipt of stolen mail is a felony that can carry prison terms of up to five years; see 18 U.S.C. § 1708 for the statute. The Federal Trade Commission’s recovery site IdentityTheft.gov outlines how stolen documents often end up fueling fraudulent credit applications and other services opened under victims’ identities.
How To Protect Your Mail And Report Theft…