Thieves target central Fresno mail trucks

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- It's not your everyday sight, a mail truck broken into.

A car pulls up behind a mail truck. The driver parks. The passenger gets outs. Then makes his move, opening the back door and taking package after package after package.

A brazen Central Valley theft in broad daylight. "It's scary to think about that this is happening if there is money involved, checks or social security numbers," said resident Robert Ramirez.

Surveillance footage on Warren Avenue shows one of the suspects going back and forth to the truck before swiping a large package belonging to someone else, "I feel sorry for the people who are getting ripped off," Ramirez said.

The USPS says the quick-moving thieves have been swarming through Fresno neighborhoods since the end of the December, stealing trays and parcels of mail.

The first incident happened on New Years Eve, then four days later the rash of break-ins began, but the most recent hit was just last Friday. Making it a total of seven locations in a just little over a month.

"This is a federal offense stealing mail potential penalty of up to 5 years in federal prison up to $250,000 fines," Jeffrey Fitch with the United States Postal Service said.

Investigators say they want those victims who have been contacted to be on the lookout for additional signs of fraud. "If you receive a statement credit card statement or a bank statement and you see unusual activity that is not your's please contact us," Fitch said.