Postman robbed at gunpoint in Murray Hill, packages stolen

JACKSONVILLE, Florida. Investigators are looking for a suspect who they say robbed a postman at gunpoint.

According to a police report from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the robbery took place around 1:30 p.m. Thursday in Murray Hill. The mail carrier was stopped at the intersection of Owen Avenue and Colby Street when a masked gunman emerged from the window of her car and left with several packages.

“It’s pretty scary,” said Carol Scott, who lives on the street. Fortunately, the postman was not hurt.

According to the incident report, the suspect was wearing a gray hoodie and black pants. The police say that he demanded something from the postman, but the report hides what exactly.

“We don’t know exactly what they were targeting,” postal inspector Adam Schaefer said. “But in the past it was, you know, postal property, personal property belonging to the carrier… postal parcels.”

Former JSO director Tom Hackie suspects the shooter was after the key.

“These keys seem to be universal keys to mailboxes,” he said.

According to the incident report, the postman told the robber that she didn’t have what he demanded, and that’s when he took the packages and eventually drove off in a red Toyota with another man.

“When you think about it, mail carriers are distributors with quite a lot of money,” Hackney said. “There are several levels of … state inspections every month. There are times during each month when social checks are given out.”

He said that for decades, thieves have been breaking into mail trucks to try and steal checks, but in recent years the trend has been for thieves to look for the lock picks.

In February, two South Florida men suspected of stealing mail were arrested in St. Johns County. Police said they found the stolen master mailbox key, gloves, mask, stolen mail, and a gun in the car where they fled.

Anyone with information about Thursday’s armed robbery is asked to contact the US Postal Inspectorate at 1-877-876-2455.

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