ST. LAWRENCE, Pa.- Central Berks Regional Police executed a search warrant on a car that crashed at 10th and Penn Streets in Reading. Investigators say an officer pursued the suspects inside the car who were wanted in connection with suspicious activity at a mailbox outside the St. Lawrence post office.

Inside the car, authorities tell 69 News they recovered approximately 500 pieces of mail, two washed checks, cash, multiple bank cards that did not belong to the suspects and a post office master key.

“Arrested and charged in connection with this incident were Jared Ramirez and Joshua Ramos, both of New York,” said Berks County District Attorney John Adams.

Adams says the post office master key is how the suspects accessed the St. Lawrence mailbox, but it is still unknown how they got the key.

“A master key that opened the mailbox was found in the car,” Adams said. “That’s serious, and I hope that the United States Mail System is going to take a good hard look because this is a breach of our security.”

Investigators also found other tools used to steal mail.

“Individuals are stealing the mail, they’re altering these checks and people’s bank accounts are being fraudulently emptied,” explained Adams, who said this is not the first time this has happened.

“I’m well aware of some significant monetary losses that have occurred to individuals in our county as a result of this same scheme where the United States Mail is being compromised,” Adams added.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service says the agency is working with local police to investigate the matter. They say the USPS has been rolling out improved lock boxes but were unable to specify locations.

Adams says the USPS needs to do better.

“When they deposited that mail in the mailbox, they expected it to be received to whom it was addressed,” said Adams, gesturing toward the tables of recovered mail. “Here it is as evidence.”

Authorities say the investigation is ongoing. Investigators say a third person who was involved in this case is still at large.

Adams says most of the mail recovered was Christmas cards which they plan to put back in the mail so the letters get to their intended recipients.