HERCULES, Calif. -- The arrest of two men after they allegedly tried to make a purchase with counterfeit bills at a cigarette store in Hercules has led investigators to a collection of stolen mail from several California counties.
Officers arrested Brandon Thomas-Harris, 25, and Justin Conlon, 27, after Thomas-Harris walked into the store and used a counterfeit $20 dollar bill to pay for a purchase, Hercules reserve detective and police spokeswoman Connie Van Putten said Saturday.
After police were called, officers arrested the two men and towed their truck. While searching the truck, investigators said they found two large suitcases with stolen mail from 20 cities across the Bay Area, as well as from Torrance, in Southern California.
When Conlon was taken into custody he was carrying several credit cards and IDs that were not in his name, police said. He was also wanted on a $25,000 possession of stolen property warrant out of Napa County
Thomas-Harris was being held on suspicion of burglary, while Conlon was being was also being held on possession of stolen property - the mail - though additional charges may be added, Van Putten said.
When police went to a home in Hercules with a search warrant that one of the suspects had claimed to be his residence, they found more stolen mail and drugs, Van Putten said.
Investigators had not yet determined exactly how many pieces of mail had been recovered, Van Putten said.
"We had two tables full of mail and stuff sitting in large plastic bags." she said.
Except for the mail allegedly stolen from residents of Hercules, the rest of the mail was turned over to the U.S. Postal Service, Van Putten said.
Police also arrested three people at the home, Paul Pena, 36, Carlos Rivera, 63, and Silvia Solorzano, 54, on suspicion of possession of stolen property and drug charges.
All five suspects were being held on bail amounts ranging from $5,000 to $45,000.
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