KCSO nabs mail theft suspect

Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested a 34-year-old Post Falls man Monday night and said he is a suspect in a mail theft operation.

David T. Perry was arrested shortly after 6 p.m. at an address on South Douglas Court near Post Falls, deputies reported, noting an anoymous tip led them to the location.

Deputies were able to quickly establish a perimeter at the residence in question and Perry was taken into custody swiftly and without incident, KSCO reported.

Perry was wanted on four different local warrants; a $10,000 warrant for grand theft and unlawful possession of a firearm; a $10,000 warrant for failure to appear on a pretrial conference for petit theft charges; a $50,000 warrant for failure to appear on a hearing for three counts of burglary and a $500,000 warrant for 65 counts of grand theft/aiding and abeting.

The $500,000 warrant is tied to an extensive mail theft ring being investigated by KCSO over the past several months, KSCO reported. The rash of mail thefts began in November 2016 with most occurring in the Athol and Hauser Lake areas, according to a March news release from Kootenai County Sheriff Ben Wolfinger’s office.

The mail being stolen contained checks, packages, titles and other similar items. The stolen checks were then being fraudulently cashed at various locations in Kootenai County. The estimated value of the stolen packages and checks totals $50,000.

KCSO and police departments in Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene, along with the U.S. Postal Inspector’s Office and the Bonner and Spokane county sheriff’s offices, worked together to identify five suspects accused of affecting 400 victims in Kootenai County.

In addition to Perry, the four others charged are Nathanial J. Taylor of Post Falls; Justin A. Kretchmar, also of Post Falls; Marcus S. Hawkins, of Rathdrum; and Kellie E. Mann, of Dickinson, N.D. These four suspects were all charged with grand theft, and some with additional charges, in March; they are currently incarcerated or have already pleaded guilty to their charges.

Perry will most likely make his first appearance in a Kootenai County courtroom today, KSCO reported.

KCSO would like to thank all of the people responsible for the various tips and leads that have been received in regard to Perry and remind others that tips related to wanted persons, crime reports and other suspicious activities can be reported anonymously by using the Anonymous Tip Form, which can be found under the “Contact” tab on the KCSO Website, www.kcsheriff.com.