‘Air mail’ leads to charges for well-known valley pair

Police watch as mail goes flying from window; arrest pair with long rap sheets

A Penticton man and a Salmon Arm woman formerly of the Peach City were arrested and charged in connection with stolen mail in West Kelowna early Monday morning.

Police say an officer was patrolling near Shannon Woods Drive and Tallus Ridge Drive when he spotted a white Volkswagen Jetta driving without its tail lights on about 3 a.m.

The officer watched as an occupant of the vehicle tossed what was later confirmed to be a stack of stolen mail out the window onto the road, said Kelowna RCMP Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey.

The Mountie stopped the Volkswagen and found what appeared to be large amounts of suspected stolen property believed to be related to thefts from vehicles.

Police arrested both occupants and impounded the vehicle.

Officers are attempting to reunite residents with their stolen property and contacting people who may have been targets of identity theft.

James Gordon, a 35-year-old Penticton man, has been charged with mail theft, possession of stolen mail, possession of break-in instruments and breach of probation. He is scheduled to appear in court April 17. According to online court records, Gordon’s previous convictions in provincial court in Penticton include possession of stolen property under $5,000 in 2016 and theft of a credit card and fraud in 2017.

Ashlyn Johnson, a 26-year-old Salmon Arm woman, has been charged with theft from mail, possession of stolen mail, possession of break-in instruments, theft under $5,000 and two breaches. She is scheduled to appear in court April 5. Johnson’s previous convictions, between 2015 and 2017 and all in provincial court in Penticton, include eight counts of theft under $5,000, using a forged document and possession of stolen property under $5,000.

She is also scheduled to plead guilty this May to possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, three counts of theft under $5,000, theft from mail, two break and enters and fraud, all allegedly committed between 2015 and 2017 in Penticton.