READING, MASS. (WHDH) - Five people have been arrested in connection with a mailbox theft in Reading that prompted a police chase early Monday morning, officials announced Tuesday.
Michelly Zavala-Escobar, 21, of Reading, is facing charges including marked lanes violation, failure to signal before turning or stopping, speeding, operating to endanger, failure to stop for police, operating a motor vehicle after license suspended, illegal possession of a Class A substance, breaking and entering in the night time into a depository, receiving stolen property over $1,200, and common law conspiracy, according to the Reading Police Department.
Brandon Baez, 18, Anthony Caceres, 20, Duary Moreta Garcia, 23, and Alex Perez Gonzalez, 21, all of Boston, have been charged with breaking and entering in the nighttime into a depository, receiving stolen property over $1,200, and common law conspiracy.
An officer on patrol in the area of Haven Street near the town’s post office around 12:50 a.m. observed a red minivan parked alongside the street with its engine running, according to police.
Due to a recent uptick in mail being stolen from post office boxes, police said the officer followed the vehicle onto Main Street and watched as it crossed the double yellow lines.
When the officer activated his emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop on Walkers Brook Road, the driver allegedly accelerated in an abrupt manner, prompting a chase that later came to an end on Interstate 95 south.
A search of the vehicle reportedly yielded 200 unopened envelopes with Reading return addresses, 11 loose personal checks, three washed personal checks, nine bank cards, a bag of suspected heroin, and eight packages of marijuana, police said.
All five suspects were arraigned Monday in Woburn District Court. They have since been released on personal recognizance under the condition they avoid contact with one another.
They are due back in court on March 24.
An investigation remains ongoing.
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