Mail carrier robbed in Pittsburgh
A U.S. Postal Service letter carrier was robbed on Wednesday morning in Pittsburgh's Beltzhoover neighborhood, authorities said.
A spokesperson for Pittsburgh Public Safety said the mail carrier was robbed on the 500 block of Climax Street around 10 a.m. The postal employee told police that a driver stopped in front of her, made verbal threats toward her, and demanded her postal satchel and key.
Police said the postal service employee, fearing for her safety, gave the woman the items. The suspect then fled from the area in an unknown direction, the spokesperson said. No description of the suspect or the vehicle was provided by investigators.
"That's not a normal occurrence for a mailman to get robbed on his job. That suggests to me that people aren't caring anymore and that they are in jeopardy. And if they're in jeopardy, I'm in jeopardy," said resident Eddie Toussant.
Beyond fearing for their own safety, people who live in this area say the stolen postal key is raising serious red flags.
Residents like Toussant worry that the key could give someone access to multiple mailboxes and potentially sensitive personal information.
"When you get that mail key, now you have access to everybody's mail in the building. And depending on how big that building is, that could be a lot of profit for them and a ton of problems for the victims, and it takes a while to clean up your identity theft," Toussant said.
Neighbors tell KDKA-TV that this robbery has shaken their sense of safety, especially since it happened in broad daylight and the suspect is still on the loose.
They say they're seeing more crime creep into the neighborhood and believe the climate in the area needs to change. They're hopeful that new leadership in city hall will make that happen.
"When crime is down, people feel better, people live better. Worry creates stress, and then, you can't live good," Toussant added.
There remain a lot of unanswered questions from neighbors, including whether the stolen key could put their personal information at risk and whether they should be taking steps right now to protect themselves.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is handling the investigation. A spokesperson for the agency said the investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information about the incident can call the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 877-876-2455.