NJ Cops Say NY Trio Fished Mailboxes With Glue, Mousetraps
NEW MILFORD — A trio from New York have been accused of stealing mail from a blue collection box outside a Bergen County post office over Labor Day weekend.
A borough police officer on patrol on Sunday said he saw a suspicious vehicle with three men parked in front of the New Milford Post Office. The officer said one of the men was "tampering" with the outside mail box, and he stopped them from leaving as two other officers arrived as backup.
Numerous pieces of mail were found in the vehicle, according to police, along with glue, mouse traps and string.
Authorities said the men were using those supplies to "fish" mail from the box.
Police arrested 21-year-old Roquelin Payano, of New York, along with 26-year-old Charles Ward and 24-year-old Ronald Jaquez, both of the Bronx.
All three men were charged with trafficking personal identifying information pertaining to another person, burglary, multiple counts of theft, conspiracy to commit theft, possession of burglary tools, fencing, possession of stolen property, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Anyone who used the exterior mail box in front of New Milford Post Office Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 should try and "verify if your mail was received by the recipient" and subsequent issues can be reported to police at (201) 967-5878.