CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Andrew Parker had no idea he was a victim of mail theft until he got a letter from the postal inspector.
“We regret any inconvenience this may have caused you,” part of the letter read.
“It’s alarming,” Parker told Channel 9.
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Court documents show credit cards, debit cards and checks were stolen from a south Charlotte neighborhood, and then used, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars lost.
“I don’t know why this neighborhood was targeted, or my house in particular,” Parker said.
Erik Magana, who is at the center of the crime, was arrested, according to court documents.
(Erik Magana)
Surveillance video captured in November showed a driver of a dark-colored Mercedes reaching into mailboxes during the early hours of the morning and removing mail.
That surveillance video helped investigators confirm the car belonged to Magana.
Investigators took it even further and installed a tracker on his car and tracked Magana making rounds where mail was stolen before driving back to his home.
“The mailbox was open nothing was in there and the flag was still up,” said resident Carolyn Duvall, who believes she was a victim.
Investigators revealed Magana drove about 10 miles from his home on Roseview Lane in east Charlotte to the south Charlotte neighborhood.
Police didn’t say if any other neighborhoods may have been hit.
“That’s an interesting level of dedication in a way to really go about doing something that messed up,” Parker said.
Neighbors told Channel 9 they are still on edge knowing they were targeted.
"I haven’t put anything in the mailbox since then,” Duvall said. “I drive it to the post office.”
At one point, investigators said they set up a live operation and witnessed Magana taking mail that was not his.
"I wasn't aware that I may have been a direct victim of this person, so (it’s) definitely concerning,” Parker said.
Magana’s arraignment is set for the end of December.
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