Protect your mailbox

Based on an ongoing burglar investigation, Malibu Lost Hills Sheriff's Station detectives this week arrested Jay Yang and Amanda Prescott of Agoura Hills on charges of theft of mail, identity theft, forgery/fraud and grand theft of money.

Reportedly recovered from Yang's residence was stolen mail of approximately 100 victims who reside in the following cities: Agoura Hills, Westlake Village, Calabasas, Los Angeles, Pasadena and Simi Valley.

Detectives will contact each of the victims to provide details of the recovered items.

According to police, mail theft has become an intricate method to steal identity or obtain money unlawfully.

In fact, the term "mailboxing" has become a verb in the criminal nomenclature.

Generally speaking, the criminals will remove mail from unsecured mailboxes to create identities or to "adjust" the victims' checks in order to cash the checks and obtain money unlawfully.

The theft of someone's identity can be accomplished by the criminal obtaining personal information from the stolen mail.

The information can consist of Social Security, credit card or phone numbers, residential addresses and/or bank account information.

Once a false identity is created, the perpetrator will open credit card accounts or loans, causing harm to the victim of the original mail theft. Stolen credit card account numbers are used to make fraudulent purchases.

The criminal may also "wash" the stolen checks that were obtained from the unsecured mailboxes. This consists of the criminal modifying the payee information and/or the amount of the check.

This will allow the thief to write his or her own name on the check and cash it as if it were valid.

Commonly, people who write checks verify that a specific check number has cleared, although they do not verify either the amount or who the payee was.

In order to reduce the likelihood of becoming a mail or identity theft victim, the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriffs' Station Detective Bureau recommends adhering to the following guidelines: •Do not place bill payments or other types of identity sensitive documents in a mailbox that cannot be locked.

•Mail sensitive documents by using the U.S. Postal Service or secured mailboxes.

•Reduce the amount of "preapproved" credit card or loan applications that you receive in the mail.

•When verifying that a check has been cashed, make sure that the payee or amount has not been modified.

•If you observe anyone accessing mailboxes in your neighborhood, note the person's description and, if possible, a vehicle description and license plate, and immediately contact your local law enforcement agency.

- Kyle Jorrey