DELRAY BEACH, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2023) — 3 Delray Beach men have been arrested in for several robberies of mail carriers in the area.

The Delray Beach Police Department, along with the Boca Raton Police Department, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, apprehended three individuals believed to be involved in a daring armed robbery that occurred in May in Boca Raton. The accused men are now facing charges of robbery with a firearm after targeting and robbing a mail carrier at gunpoint and stealing his postal arrow key.

The three individuals, Ecclesiaste Cleristor (19), Jonathen Pierre (19) and Jimmy Jerome (19), were arrested on October 11th, 2023 at their homes in Delray Beach.

This case is part of a larger investigation that began in February when the U.S. Postal Inspection Service provided information to the Delray Beach Police Department regarding a group of individuals suspected of committing multiple mail thefts in Palm Beach County. The primary focus of these criminals was to rob mail carriers of their postal arrow keys, granting them unauthorized access to mailboxes in the area. Once they had these keys, they would unlawfully open mailboxes and extract checks from the stolen mail. These stolen checks were either altered or used as templates for creating counterfeit checks which were then deposited into various bank accounts for financial gain.

The Delray Beach police took action by executing search warrants and apprehending five individuals connected to a fraudulent mail operation. The search yielded a significant amount of evidence, including over 2000 checks, more than 200 bank cards, a stolen postal arrow key and five stolen firearms. These men now face charges such as organized scheme to defraud, criminal use of personal identification information and grand theft. It’s important to note that the investigation into this mail fraud is ongoing and we anticipate further arrests in the near future.

To protect yourself from falling prey to similar scams, it is advised by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service that you take certain precautions:

• When sending checks or financial documents through the mail, consider taking them directly to the post office.
• Ensure you deposit your mail in collection boxes earlier in the day before pickup so that it doesn’t remain unattended overnight or over weekends.
• Regularly monitor your bank accounts and credit reports for any suspicious or unauthorized activity.
• If you suspect any tampering with your mail or if you have become a victim of mail fraud, please report it immediately to both your local police department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at (877) 876 2455.