The “Rat Trap” Gang: Why Your Check Might Be Missing From the Norwood Post Office

The “Rat Trap” Heist: Two Arrested in Bizarre Bergen County Mail Theft Scheme

then staff of the Ridgewood blog

Norwood NJ, a quiet Saturday morning in Norwood, New Jersey, turned into a high-stakes police bust after an “alert resident” spotted a suspicious duo using a MacGyver-style contraption to fish for envelopes at the local post office.

On January 3, 2026, around 4:30 a.m., witnesses watched as two men allegedly used glue-covered rat traps attached to a belt to “fish” mail directly out of the collection boxes in front of the Norwood Post Office.

Inside the Bust: Mercedes, Masks, and Mouse Traps

Thanks to a quick-thinking resident who provided a description of the getaway vehicle, Norwood police intercepted a 2020 Mercedes Benz heading north shortly after the call. What they found inside looked less like a luxury car and more like a mobile crime lab.

According to Norwood Police Chief Christian Federici, officers recovered:

• A stash of stolen envelopes and personal checks.

• Ski masks and prescription alprazolam.

• The “fishing” tools: Sticky glue traps (typically used for mice and rats) rigged to a belt to pull mail through the narrow slots of official USPS mailboxes.

The Suspects and Charges

The two men, identified as William Toro and Charlie Cordero of the Bronx, both in their 30s, are facing a laundry list of charges:

• Trafficking personal identification information

• Burglary and Possession of burglary tools

• Possession of stolen property

• Possession of a controlled dangerous substance (CDS)

Both suspects were transported to the Bergen County Jail to await their first court appearance. The investigation is now being assisted by the U.S. Postal Inspector Service.

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A Growing Trend: Why Your Mail is at Risk

The Norwood incident is far from an isolated event. Over the past year, Bergen County has seen a rash of “mail washing” crimes in towns like Maywood, Fort Lee, and Glen Rock.

Criminals target these outdoor blue boxes specifically for checks. Once “fished” out using sticky traps or stolen master keys, the checks are “washed”—a process where the ink is chemically removed so the thieves can rewrite the dollar amount and recipient name before cashing them for thousands.

How to Protect Your Identity and Your Money:

• Skip the Blue Box: Whenever possible, walk inside the post office to drop off mail or use the wall slots inside the lobby.

• Check the Time: If you must use an outdoor box, do it before the last daily pickup. Mail sitting overnight is a “sitting duck” for thieves.

• Go Digital: Consider using secure online portals for bill payments and bank transfers to eliminate the paper trail altogether.

• Use Un-washable Ink: When writing checks, use a gel pen (like the Uni-ball 207) with “fraud-resistant” ink that is much harder for criminals to chemically erase.

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The “Alert Resident” Hero

Chief Federici emphasized that this arrest would not have happened without a community member who took the time to call it in. If you see someone lingering by a mailbox or using a device to reach into the slot, do not hesitate—call local police immediately.

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