Seven men are each facing a number of theft and fraud charges after Roswell police said they were caught with bags of checks and personal mail stolen from locations across metro Atlanta.
Two of the men, 21-year-olds Ibrahima Biteye of Lithonia and Marc Sean Salif Sidikou of Maryland, were first arrested April 6 after Roswell police caught them breaking into postal service collection boxes, AJC.com previously reported.
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Detectives spotted a vehicle drive up to a mailbox in the parking lot of Brannon Square on Alpharetta Highway and turn off its headlights, Roswell police spokesman Officer Sean Thompson said. Biteye and Sidikou got out of the car and forced their way into the mailbox, he said.
While the men rifled through the mail, Roswell officers converged on them, according to Thompson. The men got back into the car and tried to drive away, but “were so scared they didn’t see a large ravine,” Thompson said.
The car slid into the ravine and then became airborne, he said. Biteye and Sidikou were taken into custody after a short chase.
STARTING AT 4: Police say these men stole bags of mail from @USPS boxes. How detectives say they tracked them down. pic.twitter.com/HDiCQBGoLw
— Mike Petchenik (@Mike_Petchenik) May 20, 2020
Both men were taken to the Fulton County Jail but were released due to COVID-19 restrictions at the facility, Thompson said.
More than a month later on May 12, police executed warrants on an apartment in Buckhead that they believed was connected to the suspects. When they arrived, they found Biteye, Sidikou and five other men, along with garbage bags full of stolen mail and checks, Thompson said.
Roswell investigators are still working to identify victims of the alleged financial crimes, Thompson said.
“Please double check that your mail has been received by the intended party,” he said. “Take a look at your financial statements and report any irregularities to your financial institution or local police department.”
All seven of the men were taken to the Fulton County Jail.
Their charges are listed as:
- Ibrahima Bityeye: 45 counts of financial identity fraud, 11 counts of third-degree forgery, 21 counts of financial transaction card theft, two counts of possession of fraudulent identification documents, theft of mail, obstruction, two counts of felony theft by taking and possession of schedule II narcotics;
- Marc Sidikou: 45 counts of financial identity fraud, 11 counts of third-degree forgery, 21 counts of financial transaction card theft, two counts of fraudulent identification documents, two counts of felony theft by taking, theft of mail, obstruction and fleeing or attempting to elude;
- Bechir Traore: 33 counts of financial identity fraud, 11 counts of third-degree forgery, 21 counts of financial transaction card theft, and two counts of possession of fraudulent identification documents;
- Mouley Hassan Sanfo: 33 counts of financial identity fraud, 11 counts of third-degree forgery, 21 counts of financial transaction card theft, and two counts of possession of fraudulent identification documents;
- Irvin Ouedraogo: 33 counts of financial identity fraud, 11 counts of third-degree forgery, 21 counts of financial transaction card theft, and two counts of possession of fraudulent identification documents;
- Kahneil Oliver: 11 counts of third-degree forgery and possession of marijuana;
- Brandon Gage: 11 counts of third-degree forgery.
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