A 36-year-old woman faces 126 criminal charges after Holly Hill police discovered she allegedly stole mail from 63 addresses across the city. Carri Miller was arrested Sunday following reports of mail theft in the 800 block of Daytona Avenue. Police found Miller in possession of a laundry bag containing mail that matched addresses of victims who reported thefts.
According to an arrest affidavit, one victim spotted Miller stealing mail on her security camera and confronted the suspect outside. “Baby, I didn’t take your mail,” Miller told the victim, according to the police report. The victim grabbed the bag to retrieve her mail, causing it to fall to the ground before Miller fled on an electronic bicycle.
Officers located Miller’s suspected e-bike near the front door of a Dollar Tree on Ridgewood Avenue, where a store clerk confirmed someone matching her description had entered the bathroom. Body camera footage shows police detaining Miller for investigation and discovering additional stolen mail in a bathroom trash can. “Got her out of the bathroom. Told her she was lawfully detained. Went in the bathroom. There’s mail with the addresses in the trash can in here,” an officer said in the video.
During questioning outside the store, Miller initially claimed she was holding the bag for a friend before admitting she was paid to collect mail and deliver it to a home on 8th Street. “What in the world would compel you to steal all that mail today,” an officer asked Miller, “you’re running around here looking like friggin’ Santa Claus.” Police recovered mail items from 63 different Holly Hill addresses, with some pieces found opened in the trash can, indicating what investigators called “a deliberate attempt to conceal evidence of her crime.”
The theft has left victims concerned about their personal security and mail safety. “When I went to check my mail, the mailbox was open, the flap was open on it, and there was nothing in there,” said Cathy, one of the victims whose mail was stolen. “It’s not right. It’s not good. I have no idea what the solution would be for it, but I check my mail every day.”
Miller faces 63 counts of petit theft and 63 counts of fraudulent use of personal identification information, totaling 126 charges. She was released Monday afternoon on bond after spending one night in custody. The recovered mail has been submitted into evidence, and the United States Postal Inspection Service has been notified of the case.
Holly Hill police are sending notification letters to each of the 63 affected addresses, asking residents to visit the police department to fill out sworn statements for Miller’s prosecution. The case highlights ongoing concerns about mail theft in Central Florida communities, where personal information and financial documents can be compromised through such crimes.