Newport police seek suspected mail thief

-- Deepa Bharath

Newport Beach police are looking for a man they say took mail from

several homes Thursday afternoon and burned it in their own backyard.

Police received four crime reports Thursday, all from the same area --

the 4000 block of Hilaria Way, which is a condominium complex near Hoag

Hospital.

The incidents happened between 4 and 4:20 p.m., said Newport Beach

Police Lt. Doug Fletcher.

He said the man took a “variety of mail” from several homes and set it

on fire in the area behind the homes.

The alleged mail thief and arsonist is described as a 17-year-old

white or Latino male wearing a khaki long-sleeved shirt, blue jeans and

carrying a black backpack.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Newport Beach Police

Department at (949)644-3681.