Stonnington police arrest two men after mail thefts from South Yarra apartment buildings
Two men have been caught after allegedly rummaging through mailboxes and taking items at two South Yarra complexes, sparking police to caution people living in inner-city apartments.
Inner East
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Police have issued a mail theft warning for people living in inner-city apartment buildings after they caught two men who had allegedly rummaged through mailboxes at two buildings.
Stonnington detective Senior Sergeant Nick Densley said officers arrested two men in South Yarra in the early hours of Monday morning.
Sen-Sgt Densley said the men had entered the foyers of complexes in Toorak Rd and Yarra St and allegedly taken items from communal mailboxes.
They were then located by officers on patrol in the surrounding streets shortly after their second complex visit.
Sen-Sgt Densley said the men were taken into custody and charged by police before they faced the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court later that morning.
Both men were charged with two counts of burglary and handling stolen goods.
A 36-year-old Brighton man was remanded to face the court again on July 20, while his counterpart, a 29-year-old South Melbourne man, pleaded guilty and had his case adjourned for sentencing at a later date.
Sen-Sgt Densley said mail and identity theft was becoming a key crime issue in Stonnington.
He urged apartment residents to regularly collect their mail, particularly if it was bills, government letters or any other items with identifiable features.
“It’s very much an ongoing issue around here due to the number of apartments and the large residential blocks, they are all designed the same,” Sen-Sgt Densley said.
“We keep trying to remind occupants and visitors to those locations to be mindful of the people shadowing into the foyers and complex carparks.
“You can’t stop friends coming over but this is one of the major drivers behind identity theft and subsequent fraud and deceptions.”
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