Mail Theft in Aptos

Sergeant Patrick Dimick, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office

The Aptos area has been experiencing a spike in mail theft. The two people that the Sheriff’s office are investigating currently are Leah Bridge (female) and Richard Gilreath (male) and have warrants of arrest for crimes associated with mail theft and forgery.

Both Bridge and Gilreath are 49 years of age. Gilreath is 6 feet tall and weighs approximately 200 pounds. Bridge is 5 feet 2 inches and weighs 135 pounds. Bridge has a large tattoo on her neck above the collar line.

If you have any information on Bridge or Gilreath’s whereabouts, or any information that may be of assistance, please contact Sheriff’s Dispatch at 831-471-1121. You may also send an email to patrick.dimick@santacruzcounty.us

Mail Theft Tips

Mail Theft often results in crimes such as Identity Theft and Forgery. The Sheriff’s Office has the following suggestions to protect your mail:

• Collect your mail daily
• Send outgoing mail directly from a US postal service location. Thieves often search for the “red flag” on mailboxes and take mail left for the postal service
• Monitor checks you send in the mail. Thieves will often rewrite personal checks to cash to themselves or duplicate these checks to cash to themselves
• Don’t send cash in the mail
• Ask your bank for “secure” checks that can’t be altered
• Tell your post office when you’ll be out of town, so they can hold your mail until you return
• Consider purchasing a locking mailbox.