A man has been arrested after being accused of a series of criminal cases involving mail theft, fraud, and property damage.
The Cape Coral Police Department, Steven Michael Newman, 35, faces multiple charges following investigations into incidents spanning from late October to mid-December.
The first of the incidents happened on Dec. 6, when surveillance footage captured a person damaging a mailbox at a business on Orchid Boulevard.
The suspect, later identified as Newman, is accused of using a knife to pry open the mailbox, causing approximately $440 in damage.
On Dec. 17, a traffic stop on a brown Kia led officers to Newman, who was a passenger in the vehicle.
A K-9 alerted officers to drugs in the car, prompting a search, where police found drug paraphernalia, a stolen bicycle, and a backpack containing numerous pieces of stolen personal identification, including names, addresses, and Social Security numbers.
Officers recognized Newman from the surveillance footage connected to the Dec. 6 mailbox incident.
Earlier that same day, officers responded to a report of a stolen bicycle and damage to property at a local business.
The suspect had damaged a cement bench, resulting in $1,000 in estimated damages. Investigators later connected Newman to this theft and added related charges during his booking at the Lee County Jail.
Detectives also linked Newman to what they call an ongoing economic crimes investigation from Oct. 29.
In that case, Newman was accused of fraudulently using personal identification information, possessing stolen checks, and altering banking information to redirect mail to his residence.
Newman now faces charges including petit theft, criminal mischief, fraudulent use of personal identification information, and fraud exceeding $50,000.
Authorities are urging residents to take precautions with their personal information and to report any suspicious activity involving mail theft or property damage.