Marin Mail Theft Probe Leads To 2 Arrests

SAN RAFAEL, CA — A San Rafael mail theft investigation that began earlier this month has led to the arrests of two suspects Friday, police said.

The probe began March 7 with a San Pablo Avenue apartment complex manager providing authorities surveillance video showing two suspects entering the mail room and stealing a large amount of mail, police said.

The video showed the male suspect wearing a hat and wearing camouflage and the female suspect in a wheelchair, police said. Both suspects were wearing masks.

A photo of the suspects taken from the video that was distributed to local law enforcement agencies led to the arrests of 30-year-old Emily Cote and Kevin Mercure, 31, police said. Neither suspect has a fixed address.

The Marin County Coordination of Probation Enforcement recognized the suspects from an unrelated Novato arrest according to police.

A probation detective told San Rafael investigators Cote was using a wheelchair due to suffering two broken ankles and both suspects were in possession of clothing shown in surveillance video from the mail theft case, police said.

Detectives on Friday obtained a search warrant for a Novato hotel room where the suspects had been staying and arrested both in connection with the mail thefts according to police.

Cote and Mercure were arrested on suspicion of burglary, mail theft and identity theft among other charges, police said.

Both suspects were booked into Marin County Jail.

An ongoing investigation in this case also involves the US Postal Inspection Service according to police, noting additional charges may be forthcoming.

The suspects were in possession of mail and other personal identifying information of hundreds of people residing in various states according to police.

“Based on evidence collected in conjunction with the search warrant and arrest of Cote and Mercure, SRPD Detectives have learned that the suspects had victimized numerous people through mail theft,” police said.

Authorities said they will contact alleged victims to determine whether any additional crimes were committed according to police.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call San Rafael Police at (415) 485-3000. Tips can also be made online at http://www.srpd.org/tips.