Bainbridge police catch couple during alleged early morning mail theft spree

Published 4:10 pm Monday, August 24, 2015

Bainbridge Island police arrested two people just after 3 a.m. Saturday morning after the pair were allegedly were caught stealing mail in the Hidden Cove and Manzanita area.

Royden Tokawa Phillips, 40, and Tammy Melissa Wagner, 47, were each charged with mail theft in Kitsap County District Court Monday, Aug. 24.

According to court documents, police found 138 pieces of unopened mail in the couple’s possession after an officer pulled over a blue Ford Windstar minivan after seeing the vehicle parked next to a mailbox on Miller Road, then drive away toward Highway 305.

In a Bainbridge police officer’s investigation report, the officer said the minivan had a dealer advertisement plate where the license plate should have been, and the officer said the vehicle did not look like any he knows that are used by newspaper delivery drivers on the island.

After the officer saw the van momentarily parked next to a mailbox and then drive away, the officer went over to the mailbox and saw that it had been left open. There was no mail inside, and both newspaper tubes were also empty.

Soon after, police stopped the van as it headed south on Highway 305. Then, while talking to the driver, an officer could see mail with different Bainbridge addresses on the rear floorboard of the van.

When police asked Wagner, a Graham woman who was driving the van, why she had been parked at a mailbox on Miller Road, she said they were on the way to a friend’s house.

The driver said the friend’s name was Brian, but she didn’t know where he lived. She also said Brian was a friend of Phillips, her passenger.

Police also noticed several pieces of mail stuffed between the passenger door and Phillips’ leg. There was also more mail on the passenger side of the dashboard and in the center console of the van.

When asked about the mail that didn’t appear to belong to her, the driver said she was just driving Phillips around and was uncertain about the mail.

An officer then asked if he could look in the vehicle for mail that didn’t belong to her, and the driver allegedly asked what would happen if she didn’t give permission for the search.

After the officer told her they would get a warrant, the woman agreed to the search.

Police retrieved mail from the vehicle, and asked the driver who came up with the idea to come to Bainbridge to steal mail. Wagner said she had been seeing Phillips for several months, and he talked her into coming to the island.

When police talked to Phillips, he said the driver was just doing what he asked her to do and that he was responsible for the stolen mail.

He also allegedly said he was having hard times and was looking for anything of value.

The pair was taken to Kitsap County Jail and booked for felony possession of stolen mail, and bail was set at $25,000 for each.

Police also discovered the driver had a suspended license. Her van was impounded and authorities said a criminal citation for third-degree driving with a suspended license would be mailed to her.

Bail for Wagner was later raised to $75,000. Bail for Phillips was kept at $25,000.

Mail theft carries a maximum five-year prison term and $10,000 fine upon conviction.