Postal inspectors in Chicago are seeking assistance in identifying a man who robbed a mail carrier in Bridgeport over the weekend. The incident, captured on Ring doorbell video, took place on Saturday afternoon in the 400 block of West 38th Street.
In the footage, a postal worker can be seen climbing the steps to deliver mail at a residence, while a man who had been walking nearby lurks on the sidewalk. As the mail carrier moves on to the next house, the lurking man brandishes a knife and confronts the postal worker. The quick-thinking mailman reacts by walking backward from the assailant, shouting, “Get away from me, man! Get away from me! Get away from me!”
Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has urged anyone with information about the crime to come forward confidentially by calling 877-876-2455. This robbery is just one in a series of similar incidents targeting postal workers in the city.
Last week, postal inspectors offered rewards of up to $150,000 for information leading to the apprehension of individuals responsible for robbing postal workers in other parts of Chicago. In one case, a robber confronted a letter carrier in the 6200 block of South Evans and fled towards 63rd Street after committing the crime. In another incident on September 30 in the 7700 block of South Laflin, a postal worker was robbed, but only a photo of the suspect’s car was released, not of the robber.
These robberies are part of a larger trend in the city, where mail carriers are targeted for their master keys, which are then used by organized crime rings to steal mail and obtain financial information and identities. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is working diligently to address these crimes and bring those responsible to justice.
For more original public safety reporting and detailed coverage of incidents like these, readers can visit CWBChicago’s website or contact them via email at news@cwbchicago.com. Stay informed and stay safe.