She’s the real-life Grinch who stole Christmas joy from Long Island residents.
An employee at a Long Island post office was accused of taking more than 20 gift cards that were supposed to be sent out during the holiday season and using them for herself, authorities revealed on Friday.
Jovanni Jamison-Lewis, 35, was caught on surveillance cameras systematically going through packages at the Oakdale post office, searching for envelopes containing gift cards, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
She allegedly took any envelope with a gift card inside and was later found using some of them at different stores, prosecutors stated.
Authorities were alerted to the scheme in September after the postal worker used a stolen gift card, leading to a two-month investigation.
Investigators alleged that they caught Jamison-Lewis red-handed opening envelopes, taking gift cards, and resealing some of the envelopes.
Undercover officers tested Jamison-Lewis in November by giving her an envelope with a gift card from TJ Maxx. Surveillance footage showed her opening the envelope after the officer had left and taking the card, according to the DA’s office.
The following day, Jamison-Lewis was reportedly caught on camera using the gift card at a TJ Maxx store in Port Jefferson Station in multiple transactions.
Jamison-Lewis was arrested on November 24 as she was leaving work. Authorities found stolen mail in her pants, stolen gift cards in her pocketbook, and additional stolen gift cards in her car and home.
