A 27-year-old Wildomar woman was arrested recently on suspicion of breaking into the mailboxes of Murrieta residences over the past month or so.
She has now been charged with burglary and fraud. At last report, she remained in Southwest Detention Center in French Valley in lieu of $5,000 bail.
Police did not release the total number of mailboxes the woman is alleged to have broken into, nor their specific locations. They did say that they believe whomever was breaking into the mailboxes was doing so in the hopes of finding sensitive information that could be used for identity theft purposes. As you can gather, authorities believe she was committing or about to commit very serious crimes.
Although many people think of identity theft as an Internet-based crime, most criminal law observers agree a significant portion of it, if not the outright majority, is committed using information gleaned from physical documents, like mail.
The circumstances of her arrest are unclear at this point and it is entirely possible that she is not guilty in any way, or is guilty only of a lesser offense than what authorities have alleged. It is very important that criminal defendants be given a chance to tell their side of the story and to have their legal rights preserved and protected.
If you or a loved one has been arrested for burglary, theft or fraud, it is important that you arrange for a strong and thorough criminal defense. Our office is near the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta. We represent clients charged with criminal offenses, DUI, and juvenile matters in the Murrieta, Lake Elsinore, Hemet, Riverside, Corona and Temecula areas. We invite you to contact us today for a free consultation.