NYC mail thief, 20, busted for raiding USPS box in brazen caught-on-video heist: officials

A brazen thief was finally apprehended months after being caught on camera raiding a US Postal Service mail storage box in Brooklyn. Ebrahima Bah, 20, was captured on video grabbing two white garbage bags filled with mail from a USPS relay box at Kingston Avenue and Carroll Street in Crown Heights on November 4th. The incident was recorded by a witness and shared by the Jewish neighborhood watch group Crown Heights Shomrim.

Bah, along with an accomplice driving a white sedan with New Jersey plates, used a key to easily access the federal box. It is believed that mail thieves obtain keys from post carriers, sometimes through coercion or purchasing them from dishonest employees. These thieves often target credit cards or checks from stolen mail, which can be altered to change the dollar amount.

Bah was arrested on March 28th and is facing charges of possession of burglars tools, petit larceny, and criminal possession of stolen property. The arrest was made following an unrelated incident where he was caught driving a Mercedes Benz with missing license plates, a tinted windshield, and a suspended license in Flatbush.

Despite the charges, Bah was released on his own recognizance as the offenses were not eligible for bail. Mail theft is a widespread issue across the country, with Brooklyn and Queens being primary targets in New York City. Postal Inspection Service Acting Inspector in Charge Ed Gallashaw commended the public for their assistance in apprehending Bah and emphasized the importance of stopping crimes against the US Mail.

The collaboration between New York Division postal inspectors and the NYPD highlights the commitment to combat mail theft and related financial crimes that threaten the integrity of the mail system and communities. This case serves as a reminder that such criminal activities will not be tolerated, thanks to the vigilance of law enforcement and the public.