Portland postal worker arrested, accused of stealing new phones worth $13K

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    PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) — A Portland postal employee was arrested after police say he stole new phones out of their boxes at the Northeast Portland Processing and Distribution Center.

Rico Manuel Alvarez, 23, is facing one count of aggravated theft in the first degree and 19 counts of mail theft after police stopped him outside the facility Oct. 16 and found 19 stolen phones.

According to police, the phones have a combined value of more than $13,000.

Special Agents from the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General worked with Portland police to arrest Alvarez, who was lodged at the Multnomah County Jail.

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