A 42-year-old man accused of mail theft tried to escape arrest by swinging off the 13th floor of his Pearl District apartment onto a stranger’s balcony a floor below, then escaping through that unit, down the stairs and out of the building, a federal prosecutor said.

Postal inspectors found Michael John Peters on Tuesday, a day later, and arrested him on allegations of mail fraud.

Assistant U.S. Attorney William Narus described Peters’ alleged crime as an “egregious” mail theft case.

He’s accused of stealing mail from dozens of condominium and apartment complexes in Northwest and Southwest Portland, according to an affidavit unsealed Wednesday.

He was renting the Pearl District apartment for $2,500 a month using a false name when investigators caught him on video stealing mail on 11 oc

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