BERKELEY, CA — A burglar was taken into custody earlier this month in Berkeley after officers found him in possession of hundreds of pieces of stolen mail and a U.S. Postal Service master key, police said.
Officers responded to the 2000 block of Durant Avenue just before 2 a.m. after being called to an in-progress burglary at an apartment, according to the Berkeley Police Department.
The officers found the suspect nearby on Milvia Street and learned he was retracing his steps to try to find a duffel bag filled with stolen mail, police said.
After detaining the suspect, officers found more stolen mail in a nearby van, police said. The suspect was both in possession of the van keys and a U.S. Postal Service master key, police said.
While investigating the mail incident, someone told officers they had pinged their stolen cellphone back to the minivan, police said.
This additional information led officers back to an apartment in the 2000 block of Bancroft Way, where the suspect had burglarized more mailboxes, police said.
About 300 pieces of mail were recovered and returned to the U.S. Postal Inspector, who will distribute them to the proper recipient, police said.
The suspect, who authorities did not publicly identify, was ultimately arrested on suspicion of burglary, possession of stolen property and other offenses that police did not elaborate on.