An unsettling pattern of robberies targeting postal workers continues in the Bay Area with a recent incident where a United States Postal Service carrier was robbed of their postal keys. The robbery occurred around 6:50 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 5, on the 3000 block of Linden Street in Oakland.
The robber, brandishing a weapon, demanded the postal keys from the carrier, who surrendered them without resistance. Thankfully, the carrier was not injured during the incident. The U.S Postal Service confirmed the incident to KRON4.
A standing reward of $50,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the robber or any individual involved in robbing or threatening a postal carrier.
Such incidents are becoming alarmingly frequent in the Bay Area, with thieves primarily targeting postal keys, which provide access to mailboxes. According to Postal Inspector Matthew Norfleet, the postal keys serve a single legitimate function – delivering the mail. The only other usage is for stealing mail.
The increase in these robberies highlights a critical need for better security measures to protect postal workers and the mail they carry. Robbing postal workers is not just a crime against the individuals involved but also a threat to the privacy and security of the community they serve.