Vanessa Navarro and Austin Smith, both 24, were booked into jail Tuesday morning, and each is being held on more than $1 million bail, according to online booking information from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office.
The arrests happened days after detectives released images of the mail theft suspects and their getaway vehicle, and sought the public’s assistance in finding them. In the public advisory issued Friday, Feb. 15, authorities said the couple stole credit cards from several mailboxes in Rosamond, and used the cards at a Palmdale Walmart.
Then early Tuesday morning, deputies checked Janine Avenue in Rosamond to serve warrants for the two suspects, according to a news release from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office.
A deputy spotted Navarro standing outside the couple’s parked vehicle, while Smith was sitting inside, according to the news release.
When Smith refused to respond, additional deputies were called to the scene and nearby residences were evacuated.
“Smith was distraught and had been calling family and saying goodbye while smoking methamphetamine in the vehicle. After half an hour of no answer, deputies used a pole to break the front window. Smith then complied without further incident,” the news release states.
“Inside the vehicle, deputies found more than 100 blank checks, multiple credit cards, tax forms, birth certificates and multiple IDs of people, mainly from Lancaster,” the news release states.
Smith and Navarro are facing multiple felony charges, and the postal service will request additional federal charges, according to the news release.
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Big chungus says
Probably an illegal build the wall!
Shop Till You Drop says
This couple oozes class and style.
Say no to drugggsss says
Damn crack heads put them where they belong a jail cell.