Catherine Fisher, 29, and Ruben Sanchez, 35, husband and wife, were arrested during a traffic stop in Simi Valley Aug. 5 and booked into the county jail for multiple counts of burglary, forgery, identity theft, and the possession and passing of forged checks.

According to police reports, in March the detectives started an investigation into reports that two suspects were passing forged checks containing several victims' account numbers. The checks were used at retail establishments in Simi Valley, Moorpark, Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, West Hills, Westlake and Canoga Park.

Based on information provided by a witness, detectives determined that Fisher and Sanchez were responsible for more than 70 cases involving a total loss of $10,800.

With the assistance of detectives from the Moorpark Police Department, the suspects' residence in Simi Valley was searched with a warrant. Stolen mail, identification cards, ATM bank cards and items used to manufacture counterfeit checks were recovered during the search.

Investigators determined that the suspects obtained bank account numbers by stealing mail from curbside mailboxes. The suspects used their personal computer to create their own checks and ATM bank cards with the stolen account numbers. The suspects also made false identification cards to use when passing the forged checks.

The police department reminds citizens that they should not place sensitive outgoing mail in residential curbside mailboxes. Items with financial account numbers should be mailed at a post office branch, preferably in the interior mail drop.