On March 7, 2021, a San Rafael Police Officer went to an apartment complex on San Pablo Avenue in San Rafael for a mail theft report.  The apartment manager reported that in the early morning hours of March 7^th, two suspects entered the mail room and stole a large amount of mail.  The apartment manager provided SRPD with a video of the incident.  When the video was reviewed, it appeared that there was a male and female suspect.  The male had a hat and mask over his face and was wearing camouflage.  The female suspect was in a wheelchair and had a mask on over her face.  SRPD Officers were unable to identify the suspects based on the video but sent out a flyer to other law enforcement agencies asking if anyone could identify the suspects.

On March 17, 2021, SRPD Detectives were contacted by the Marin County Coordination of Probation Enforcement (COPE) team.  The COPE Detectives had arrested a female and issued a citation to a male in the 7000 block of Redwood Blvd., in Novato for unrelated charges.  When the COPE Detective reviewed the flyer sent out by SRPD, he immediately recognized the male and female as being the ones who committed the mail theft in San Rafael.  The COPE Detective noted that they were in possession of the clothing that was seen in the mail theft video.  Additionally, the female that was arrested had recently broken both ankles and was using a wheelchair because of those injuries.

On March 18, 2021, SRPD Detectives obtained a search warrant for a hotel room that the suspects had been staying at in Novato.  In addition to the search warrant, SRPD Detectives arrested Emily Cote and Kevin Mercure in connection with the mail thefts.

Based on evidence collected in conjunction with the search warrant and arrest of Cote and Mercure, SRPD Detectives have learned that the suspects had victimized numerous people through mail theft.  They were in possession of mail and other personal identifying information of hundreds of people residing in various states. 

Emily Cote, a 30-year-old female with no fixed address and Kevin Mercure, a 31-year-old male with no fixed address were booked at the Marin County Jail for Burglary, Conspiracy to Commit a Crime, Theft of Mail, Identify Theft, and Possession of Stolen Property.

SRPD Detectives are continuing to investigate this case with the US Postal Inspection Service.  We will be reaching out to the identified victims to discover the extent of these mail thefts and if additional charges against the suspects may be warranted. 

Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call San Rafael Police at (415) 485-3000. Tips can also be made online at http://www.srpd.org/tips.