Arrests Made for Breaking into Community Mailbox, Possession of Burglary Tools

“On Sunday, August 1, 2021, at 5:23 p.m., Turlock Police Officers were dispatched to the area of Park Street and N Soderquist Road for two males that appeared to be breaking into a community mailbox.

As officers and K9 Ace arrived on scene, they located a crowbar on top of the community mailbox and William Haney, a 30 year old male from Turlock, and a second male who was later identified as Edwin Lopez, a 27 year old male from Turlock, standing nearby. Haney claimed that his mail was inside the mailbox and that he was trying to break into the mailbox to retrieve it.

Both Haney and Lopez do not reside in the area. In the vehicle that Haney and Lopez were driving, multiple burglary tools were located, including various shaved keys, glass breaking tools, lock picks, a saw, wire cutters, wire strippers and a bag of suspected methamphetamine.

Haney was arrested and booked for vandalism of the mailbox resulting in over $400 damage, possession of burglary tools and possession of a controlled substance. Lopez was arrested for possession of burglary tools, providing false identification and was booked in the Stanislaus County Jail for multiple other felony warrants that were outstanding.

The Turlock Police Department would like to remind everyone to be vigilant in their neighborhood and to keep an eye out for suspicious activity. Identity theft and fraud is a crime that no one wants to be a victim of. If you receive your mail from a community mailbox, remember to retrieve your mail daily. If you’re going to be out of town for several days and are unable to have someone pick up your mail, contact the Post Office to hold your mail until your return. If you suspect you have had mail stolen or your mailbox has been tampered with, contact the USPS Postal Inspector at 1-877-876-2455.”