A Hayward man and woman were arrested in Palo Alto after police allegedly found two sacks of mail stolen from six cities along the Peninsula in the backseat of their car, Palo Alto police said Wednesday.

Shawn Michael McCourt, 28, and Julie Ann Scott, 37, were on probation for burglary and identity theft out of Alameda County when they were stopped for a traffic violation by a Palo Alto patrol officer on the 400 block of Ramona Street on Aug. 30.

While officers conducted a probation search of their teal 1993 Ford Ranger pickup, they allegedly found two bags full of letters and packages addressed to residences in Menlo Park, Redwood City, Emerald Hills, Woodside and Portola Valley, as well as to a business in Palo Alto.

Police officials said the officers also found personal checks that had been stolen from a mailbox in Walnut Creek a few weeks prior.

Investigators believe the mail and packages had been stolen in the previous 24 hours, and that McCourt and Scott had most likely snatched them off of porches or out of curbside mailboxes.

Though police also reported finding flashlights, a crowbar, a hammer, pliers and other tools in the pickup that could be used to commit burglaries, investigators said they don’t believe the two had burglarized any of the homes from where they took the mail.

McCourt and Scott were booked into Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of mail theft, possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools and identity theft. Scott was also booked on suspicion of a probation violation and driving on a suspended license.

Prosecutors have since charged the two with mail theft and possession of stolen property, both felonies, as well as a misdemeanor count of possession of burglary tools. The mail and packages have been returned to their rightful recipients.