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- calendar_today October 13, 2026
Prosecutors Charge Suspect in Package Theft Spree
A 21-year-old man from Kyrgyzstan has been charged with five felonies in Snohomish County for allegedly stealing gold, jewelry, and other precious metals from UPS drivers during a months-long series of thefts. The man reportedly used fake driver’s licenses and assumed recipients’ identities to intercept expensive packages from delivery drivers in multiple Washington communities.
Crimes Stretched Across Western Washington
According to a 20-page charging document, the suspect’s alleged criminal activity occurred between March and June of last year, affecting Snohomish and King counties. Investigators described a pattern in which the man targeted packages containing high-value items, including gold bars, platinum bars, and a luxury watch. The crimes extended from Shoreline to Issaquah, with police estimating that the suspect stole or attempted to steal nearly $380,000 worth of goods using similar tactics.
Details of Notable Theft Attempts and Incidents
The first reported incident in Snohomish County took place in April 2025. The suspect allegedly waited in a Mill Creek driveway to intercept a package containing 500 silver coins valued at around $15,000. Using the victim’s identification information, he signed for the package from a UPS driver and left the scene. In May, another attempt was made in Bothell to steal a shipment of gold bars, but the driver refused to hand over the package, prompting the suspect to quickly flee.
Just days before his arrest in June, the man reportedly succeeded in stealing gold bars worth nearly $6,900 from intended recipients in Edmonds by claiming to be their son. Investigators linked these incidents to a broader pattern of ups package theft and parcel theft across the region.
Investigative Efforts and Suspect’s Methods
Mill Creek police collaborated with a UPS corporate investigator, discovering the suspect’s methods were connected to at least ten other similar thefts or attempted thefts throughout Western Washington. The main targets were gold and platinum bars, often obtained via identity theft and through the use of fake driver licenses. Other stolen items included a luxury watch and rifle ammunition.
Homeland Security Investigations assisted in connecting the man to a Kirkland residence, where he reportedly lived without a Washington or U.S. driver’s license but possessed a student visa. Investigators found over 20 photos of counterfeit driver’s licenses on his phone, each displaying his photo paired with various identities, as well as messaging app instructions related to the thefts, including “telegram instructions.”
Arrest, Confession, and Legal Action
The man was arrested in early June 2025 while attempting to intercept another package in Kirkland. Upon questioning, he identified himself in security camera footage and told authorities that he received package theft instructions through Telegram and mailed stolen packages to contacts in Minnesota or Florida. However, investigators discovered pawn slips for some of the stolen gold bars in his vehicle, suggesting not all goods were forwarded.
The suspect reportedly told police he was unaware his actions were illegal and agreed to cooperate with a homeland security investigation into the broader network. However, charges filed pertain specifically to Snohomish County, including two counts of first-degree identity theft, two counts of first-degree theft over $5,000, and one count of second-degree identity theft. Prosecutors have asked for bail to be set at $50,000. The man’s arraignment is scheduled for October 26.
Ongoing Investigation
The case remains under investigation, with local law enforcement and federal agencies continuing to examine the extent of the alleged precious metals theft and possible connections to a broader criminal network.
Source: heraldnet.com.
