LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Police in Jeffersontown have arrested two men they say have been involved in thefts of mail from blue U.S. Postal Service Collection boxes in Louisville and Jeffersontown.

According to court documents, 20-year-old Brandon King and 23-year-old Angel Martin were arrested by officers from the Jeffersontown Police Department shortly before 4 a.m. on South Hurstbourne Parkway.

Police said they were on the lookout for the suspects' vehicle -- a 2021 silver Toyota Corolla -- which had previously been involved in four mail thefts from the blue mail collection boxes at the Jeffersontown U.S. Post Office branch at 3801 Billtown Road. Those thefts occurred on May 27, May 31, June 1 and June 6.

Surveillance video provided by the Jeffersontown Police Department appears to show a silver Toyota Corolla pull up to the blue public collection boxes at the Jeffersontown U.S. Post Office branch. Moments later, a man in a mask and a hoodie gets out of the car, unlock the side of the collection box, and grab several armfuls of packages, tossing them through the open back window of the car. He then appears to lock the collection box again and get back into the vehicle before it drives away.

Shortly after 3:30 a.m., the vehicle was spotted near the intersection of Taylorsville Road and Stony Brook Drive. Police said when they tried to initiate a traffic stop at the intersection of Taylorsville Road and South Hurstbourne Parkway, the vehicle sped off, turning into oncoming traffic in the northbound lanes of South Hurstbourne Parkway.

At one point during the pursuit, police said the driver of the Toyota Corolla intentionally hit a marked police cruiser.

Police said they were eventually able to stop the vehicle. Martin, the driver of the vehicle, allegedly tried to run away, but was eventually apprehended with the help of a police K-9. 

The passenger, King, was in possession of a special U.S. Postal Service key used to open the blue public collection boxes.

Police said the vehicle and suspects were under investigation for stealing mail from blue collection boxes in both Louisville and Jeffersontown. When police searched the vehicle, they allegedly found "a very large amount" of mail that had been stolen just before they were caught. 

A detective also found several altered checks, according to the arrest reports.

Both men were arrested and charged with four counts of Theft of Mail Matter, two counts of first-degree Criminal Mischief, one count of first-degree Wanton Endangerment of a Police Officer, one count of Fleeing or Evading Police in a Motor Vehicle, two counts of Receipt of Stolen Property, one count of third-degree Assault of a Police or Probation Officer, one count of Fleeing or Evading Police on Foot and one count of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument.

Police said they are working with the U.S. Postal Inspector's Office as the investigation continues, and more charges may be filed.

According to the arrest report, neither suspect is from Kentucky, and both have been staying in hotels and driving vehicles rented in other people's names.

Both men are currently being held in Louisville Metro Corrections.

According to the arrest reports, the U.S. Postal Inspector has said that he plans to file federal charges in connection with this case.

“We’re still working to figure out how they got the arrow keys that belongs to the box,' said Det. Mike Lauder with the Jeffersontown Police Department. "Checks that were mailed, they’re subsequently being forged and then cashed. A lot of times at an out-of-town bank.”

The U.S. Postal Service recommends that people drop their mail in the slots located inside of their local post offices rather than using the blue drop boxes outside. Lauder said it's important to pay attention to your mail at home and the post office.

"Hundreds or, you know, maybe thousands of people may have been impacted," said Lauder. “What these thieves are looking for is the red flag up on the mailbox so we would advise people to walk their mail into the post office."

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