Investigators Seek Suspects in String of Trash, Mail Fires

Federal and local investigators say as many as two dozen fires involving trash or U.S. mail have been set in residential San Fernando Valley neighborhoods over the past three months--with the latest occurring here Tuesday afternoon.

Authorities say they have no suspects in the fires, which typically have been set in trash cans set out on the street for pickup.

However, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is also investigating five cases in which U.S. mail is believed to have been stolen out of residential mailboxes and then burned.

In the latest incident, charred mail was found Tuesday around 2:45 p.m. in the 8800 block of Odessa Avenue in North Hills, according to U.S. Postal Inspector Pamela Prince.

“Tampering with the U.S. mail is not to be taken lightly,” Prince said. “It’s a felony, which carries a maximum prison sentence of five years per offense.”

Authorities said the crimes fit a pattern and that the culprits could be children. Anyone who has information on the fires is asked to call the Los Angeles Police Department or the U.S. Postal Inspector’s office at (626) 405-1200.