A Filipino-American man has been arrested for allegedly breaking into a community mailbox in Tracy, California in the United States.
According to the Tracy Police Department, 29-year-old Joseph Dumlao was seen breaking into a community mailbox on Choisser Court by an unidentified person. The incident happened on the evening of February 6, Golden State Newspapers reported.
The police said Dumlao was driving a rental van and he sped away when an officer tried to stop him. The officer gave up the chase because of unsafe speeds and the risk to citizens.
The next day, Dumlao was arrested after the San Joaquin County Delta Regional Auto Theft Team found the van that Dumlao was driving in Stockton. The police linked the van to Dumlao, who also had warrants for his arrest from the Stockton Police Department for robbery and from the California Highway Patrol for evading a peace officer, possession of a stolen vehicle and resisting arrest.
Dumlao tried to run away but was captured with the assistance of a police dog. After he was treated for bite wounds in a local hospital, the suspect was brought to San Joaquin County Jail. Dumlao was charged with 22 felonies, including five counts of robbery, seven gun-related charges and four misdemeanors. Bail was set at US$775,000.
The Tracy Police Department said Dumlao is believed to be one of two suspects behind a number of mail thefts in the area since the beginning of the year.