Apartment manager helps catch North Texas mail theft suspects

IRVING, Texas - Two people accused of stealing mail across North Texas have been arrested thanks to a fed up apartment complex manager.

Federal investigators say 30-year-old Myesha Lee, who goes by Lee, and 27-year-old Jerrell Owens, who goes by Juicy, admitted to stealing mail at several locations over several weeks. But it took one apartment manager in Irving to catch them.

An apartment resident watched surveillance video of the people accused of stealing her husband's credit card statement right out of their mailbox.

“Oh my God,” she said. “It is a scary thing because mail is private.”

One video clip from February 27 at the Gardens at Valley Ranch Apartments shows Lee and Owens using crowbars to pry open mailboxes. Owens wore a blond wig at the same complex on March 7 when video shows them stuffing backpacks full of mail.

“They did it maybe because they wanted to steal someone's identity, and that scares me a lot,” said one resident who didn’t want her name used.

Federal documents say an apartment manager caught the two in action last Thursday while watching a live video stream. Police showed up and arrested Lee, but Owens ran off.

Postal inspectors later arrested Owens at a Studio 6 Motel in Dallas and discovered several bags full of stolen mail.

Documents say Owens confessed the two were stealing mail at least three times a week from locations in Irving, Uptown and Far North Dallas. They said they were looking for cash and gift cards.

Residents say it may not be a violent crime, but it can potentially do a lot of damage.

Stealing mail is a federal offense punishable by up to five years in prison for each piece of mail.