HOLLISTER, Calif. (Dec. 7, 2024) — The Hollister Police Department arrested three suspects from the Fresno area on December 7th, 2024, in connection with multiple felony charges, including robbery, conspiracy, mail theft, possession of burglary tools, and drug-related offenses.
The incident began around 2:35 AM when a Hollister resident was driving near Lucero Dr. and Santa Ana Rd. in Hollister and noticed three men stealing mail from a community mailbox. This mailbox had been a target of thefts over the past year. The resident got out of his vehicle and began photographing the suspects with his cell phone. In response, the three men attacked the victim, stealing his phone and attempting to take his wallet.
The victim was able to defend himself by knocking one of the suspects to the ground and fleeing to safety. The suspects then drove away in their vehicle toward Fairview Rd.
Officer Provost, who was in the area, was flagged down by the victim. After hearing the details, Officer Provost notified the dispatch center and quickly located the suspects’ vehicle speeding on Fairview Rd. With the assistance of the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office, a high-risk vehicle stop was conducted in the 6500 block of Fairview Rd., where officers found a large amount of stolen mail, U.S. Post Office keys, homemade keys, a lock pick set, drugs, the victim’s phone, and other evidence inside or around the suspect vehicle.
The suspects, identified as Gane Lee of Fresno, Sombat Vang of Clovis, and Eng Yang of Fresno, were arrested and charged with multiple felony offenses. Additional evidence recovered in the vehicle connected the suspects to mail thefts in the Fresno area. The Hollister Postmaster General’s office was notified about the stolen mail.
The Hollister Police Department thanked the resident for their cooperation and urged the public to report crimes in progress by calling 911. They emphasized that residents should prioritize their safety and avoid physically confronting suspects but to provide helpful information, such as descriptions and license plate numbers.
Some of the recovered stolen mail has been returned to local residents. Hollister residents living on Cabrillo Drive, Brigantino Drive, Marbella Circle, Cielo Court, or Blenheim Court are asked to contact the HPD Evidence Bureau at (831) 636-4330 to claim any recovered mail.
The arrest of these suspects marks another significant step in tackling mail theft and related crimes in the Hollister area.