2 men charged after deputies find stolen mail in U-Haul in northwest Harris County

Hundreds of pieces of mail, more than 30 stolen checks and about a dozen credit cards turned up inside a U-Haul in northwest Harris County, a seizure that could ripple far beyond the storage lot into missed bills, check fraud and identity theft for people who may not realize their mail was taken.

Stephan Taltan and Curtis Baily were charged with third-degree felony mail theft after appearing in court, according to authorities. Investigators said the U-Haul was parked at a storage facility along the Northwest Freeway when Precinct 4 deputies were called after an employee reported the suspects would not leave the property. That call led deputies to the mail, checks and credit cards hidden inside the rental vehicle.

Authorities recovered about 300 pieces of stolen mail from the U-Haul. A third suspect has been identified but has not been arrested. Under Texas Penal Code Section 31.20, mail theft becomes a third-degree felony when the mail is taken from 30 or more addressees, and the law also creates a rebuttable presumption of theft when a person possesses mail from five or more addressees.

For Harris County residents, the theft matters less as a single arrest than as a reminder of how fast stolen mail can become a financial emergency. A missing check can lead to overdraft fees or late payments. A stolen credit card can be used before the real owner notices. Mail containing account numbers, benefit notices or replacement cards can give thieves enough information to open fraud cases that are harder to unwind once the damage spreads.

The case also fits a wider pattern in Harris County, where mail theft has repeatedly surfaced in large-volume busts. ABC13 has reported another case involving roughly 700 pounds of stolen mail, a separate Harris County incident with more than 500 pieces of stolen mail, 38 credit and debit cards and an estimated $50,000 in credit value, and a federal Texas case that involved about 1,000 pieces of stolen mail and other sensitive documents. ABC13 has also reported that Harris County recorded roughly 5,000 stolen-mail reports in 2023, but only 44 arrests.

Anyone in northwest Harris County who thinks mail was compromised should move quickly. Check bank and credit-card accounts, contact the sender if an expected check or card did not arrive, and place a hold on mail delivery if needed through USPS Hold Mail or Hold for PickUp. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service says mail and packages should not be left sitting in a mailbox or at the door for long. Texas Department of Public Safety also advises possible identity-theft victims to file a police or sheriff’s report and document every contact tied to the fraud.