A Cuban couple living in Hialeah has been taken into custody after being found with numerous checks worth approximately $47,000, stolen from mailboxes in central-eastern Florida neighborhoods earlier this month, according to the Port Orange Police Department.
The police disclosed in a statement this week that the suspects, identified as Yania Romero, 40, and Yohan Mayo, 36, were apprehended on April 3 in Deltona, Volusia County.
The pair faces federal charges of mail theft or possession of stolen mail and possession of five or more personal identification documents. Their vehicle was caught on a surveillance camera belonging to one of the victims, which ultimately led to their identification and arrest.
The investigation kicked off when a Port Orange resident reported to local authorities on April 3 that a security camera at her home had recorded a black sedan stopping in front of her mailbox, with an individual taking an envelope containing a $49.79 check intended for the mail carrier, as detailed in the criminal complaint.
Officers identified the car as a black Nissan Sentra and decoded the license plate, enabling them to trace it back to Romero. The Volusia County Sheriff's Office issued an alert, and officers located the vehicle at a Publix shopping center in Deltona, with Romero and Mayo inside.
Upon searching the car, authorities discovered an envelope under the passenger seat—occupied by Romero—containing around 40 checks with a total value of approximately $47,000, allegedly stolen from residential mailboxes. Among the checks was the one from the Port Orange victim who initially reported the theft.
The police tracked the Nissan's movements across various communities in the area, where the couple allegedly engaged in similar thefts multiple times. Court records indicate that 25 different victims in Volusia and Flagler counties were affected.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service in central Florida was alerted to the mail thefts and launched an investigation into Romero and Mayo.
Such crimes are fairly common in Florida. In February, five residents of Miami Gardens pleaded guilty in a mail theft and check fraud case linked to a criminal network that moved millions of dollars.
These incidents are part of a broader pattern of similar arrests in southern Florida, where authorities have ramped up efforts against mail theft and check fraud.
Understanding Mail Theft in Florida
What were Yania Romero and Yohan Mayo accused of?
Yania Romero and Yohan Mayo were accused of mail theft and possession of multiple personal identification documents, both federal offenses.
How did the police identify the suspects?
The suspects were identified through a surveillance camera that captured their vehicle near a victim's mailbox. The car was then tracked down using its license plate.
What was found in the suspects' vehicle?
Inside the vehicle, authorities found an envelope under the passenger seat containing about 40 checks worth approximately $47,000, believed to be stolen from mailboxes.