JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect or suspects involved in an armed robbery of a mail carrier in the Murray Hill area earlier this month.
RELATED: Mail carrier robbed at gunpoint in Murray Hill, packages stolen
According to a police report from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the robbery happened around 1:30 p.m. July 19 when a mail carrier was stopped at the intersection of Owen Avenue and Corby Street. Police say the victim reported a masked gunman appeared at her vehicle and left with several packages.
The mail carrier was not injured.
According to the incident report, the robber was wearing a gray hoodie and black pants. Police say he demanded something from the mail carrier, but the report conceals what it was.
“We’re not sure exactly what they were targeting,” said postal inspector Adam Schaefer. “But in the past, it’s been, you know, postal property, personal property belonging to the carrier...mail parcels.”
According to the incident report, the victim told the robber she didn’t have what he demanded, and that’s when he took the packages.
“Like any neighbor, I was kind of upset that would happen to one of our civil servants,” said John Staelens, who lives nearby.
“She’s been nothing but sweet...gives our dog treats and stuff,” neighbor Matthew Livingston said of the mail carrier who was robbed.
The USPIS released an image of the suspect vehicle, a red Toyota sedan, in a release announcing the award.
“Hopefully we’ll see some results from it,” Staelens said.
According to police, the red car was seen driving southwest on Corby Street before turning right on Owen Avenue, and then it later turned around. That’s when a man in a gray hoodie and black pants got out of the passenger side and ran toward the mail truck. According to the incident report, he returned to the car with stolen packages twice before getting in and driving south.
The mail carrier told police another man was yelling at the gunman from the red car.
An investigator who appears to have reviewed security footage reported they couldn’t see the plate number of the robber’s face.
If you have any information about the incident, contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 (say “Law Enforcement”) Reference Case No. 4079317. All information will be kept strictly confidential.
The USPIS warned against taking action to apprehend the robber yourself.