COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah -- Police arrested 50-year-old Tawnya Foster after she stole mail from 28 houses in Cottonwood Heights, affecting 48 separate people and their mail.
Foster was caught on camera stealing Kipp Wawrzyniak’s mail around 6:25 a.m. when his wife ran in and woke him up.
“My heart started racing, my adrenaline starts going,” Wawrzyniak said.
Leaping out of bed, Wawrzyniak jumped into his truck and took off three minutes after Foster stole his mail.
“Followed her for probably about 15 minutes in and out of Murray and Cottonwood Heights,” he said. “She knew I was following her.”
On the phone with police, Wawrzyniak continued following the woman on and off the freeway three times until she pulled off an exit and police arrived.
Trying to escape the police, Wawrzyniak watched as Foster rolled her car next to a Starbucks with people sitting outside.
“It was very surreal, especially when it rolled on its side and she was crawling out,” said Wawrzyniak. “I felt like I was watching an episode of cops.”
Once arrested, Cottonwood Heights Police found drugs, stolen mail along with other documents in Foster’s car.
Sgt. JD Tazoi said Foster has several felonies and warrants under her name.
“She’s got a history of it and she knows how to do it well,” Tazoi said.
Caught on camera and caught in the act of it, Tazoi said mail is stolen every single day and they’re still looking for those who may have fallen victim to Foster.
As for Wawrzyniak, he was not about to let Foster get away with it.
“Once our identities get stolen, the options for these criminals are limitless,” said Wawrzyniak. “A small thing like my mail being stolen can escalate into a life of nightmares.”
