Pair of package pirates sought in Pasadena condo complex mail thefts

PASADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- A pair of package pirates were caught on camera stealing deliveries from one Pasadena condominium complex over the last few weeks.

Residents in the complex said they are fed up with the thefts and shared their story with Eyewitness News using the hashtag #abc7eyewitness.

In the surveillance video, one suspect is seen using a key to enter the gated complex on Mar Vista Avenue. He grabs packages on the ground and then goes to the wall of mailboxes, appearing to use a master key to open doors.

"He started grabbing mail out of the individual mailboxes...all and all it was about 16 individual mailboxes altogether," resident Steve Gossett said.

The suspect loads up a backpack and shoves a bunch of letters down the front of his pants. The theft happened around 1:30 a.m. last Friday. Less than two weeks ago, cameras captured another suspect approaching the complex, unlocking boxes and stealing mail.

Resident Derek Ganter believes checks he was expecting and his car registration were stolen. Ganter and other residents worry about identity theft.

"We just don't know until something happens if our identities have been compromised or not. There's a lot of anxiety, a lot of angst amongst the family," he said.

The videos were turned over to the Pasadena Police Department, and all residents in the complex's 92 units were alerted.

Gossett said plans are in the works to install parcel boxes, but he's also urging his neighbors to track packages and check their mail regularly.

In recent weeks, police made arrests in connection with two other identity and mail theft cases in Pasadena and San Marino.