HAVERFORD, Pennsylvania (WPVI) — Three males are in custody after police say they stole almost 500 items of mail and led officers on a pursuit in Haverford, Pennsylvania final week.

The incident began with an officer on patrol in Haverford Township round 1:30 a.m. Thursday. The officer noticed a automobile and an individual close to the mail assortment field within the 1600 block of Darby Highway. The officer determined to tug the automobile over.

“So due to all of the mail thefts, the officer had been looking forward to that very fastidiously,” stated Haverford Township Police Chief John Viola.

However when the officer opens his door, the automobile takes off.

Video obtained by Motion Information reveals the motive force main police on a chase by way of neighborhood roads — reaching speeds as much as 65 miles an hour, in accordance with police.

After a couple of minutes of twists and turns, the suspects start throwing letters from the automobile — littering the street with piles of envelopes.

The car crashed and stopped on Karakung Drive.

The primary two suspects fled on foot and have been later picked up by Decrease Merion police.

A 3rd man was arrested on the crash scene.

Police say the suspects are Tyrese Isaiah English, 18, Ahmet Hakeem Johnson, 22, and Aloysius Kicmett, 19.

Costs for the three embrace theft, recklessly endangering, and fleeing from police.

Police say almost 500 items of mail have been recovered, together with a handgun and two USPS bins.

Viola says this isn’t an remoted incident.

“We have had over 300 circumstances in a single yr we’re investigating,” he stated, including that he believes the suspects seemingly had a key to this mailbox.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service says quite a few carriers have been held up for keys in current months, together with one in Kensington earlier this month.

Police say thieves are often hoping to search out money or checks.

“After which washing the checks with acetone and altering the quantity after which cashing them on the financial institution,” stated Viola.

A tip from authorities for these involved about their mail: don’t put mail into the blue assortment bins after the final posted pickup time.

Mail sitting within the field in a single day has a better probability of getting swiped.

It’s also possible to go contained in the put up workplace and drop it there.

The Postal Inspection Service says it is working with native police and the U.S. Legal professional’s workplace to prosecute crimes like these on the federal degree.