'Leaving No Stone Unturned': $50,000 Reward Offered In USPS Mail Carrier Robbery
DENVER (CBS4) - A $50,000 reward is being offered to anyone who can help solve the armed robbery of a Denver mail carrier. It happened on Wednesday, Feb. 9 at around 6:30 p.m. near Milwaukee Street and MLK Boulevard.
"My first reaction was 'Whoa, really? Did that really happen around here?' It's like I said -- it's quiet and boring," said Soth Orn, who lives in the neighborhood.
Orn learned what had happened from investigators knocking on his door. Postal inspector Eric Manuel says the carrier wasn't hurt, and no mail was taken.
"Armed robbery is such a variable offense. Suspects, whether they are targeting postal employees or average citizens, the motivations for their crimes can vary so widely it's hard to say what they were looking for or what they thought they'd get," he said.
Regardless, he says the offense is one they do not take lightly and are now offering up to $50,000 for information that leads to their suspects.
"It demonstrates our commitment to leaving no stone unturned to solving these cases bringing those responsible to justice," Manuel said.
He says cases like this are rare, and that it is the first in Colorado in years. In neighboring state New Mexico however, there have been three in less than month. He says there doesn't appear to be any connection.
"Robberies are more localized crimes. We don't see some of the more coordinated efforts we see with other crimes," Manuel said.
With a possible 25 year prison sentence for those responsible, neighbors like Orn are left wondering why risk the punishment.
"It just doesn't make no sense really, you know? It's not like the mail (deliverers) carry a large amount of money on them," he said.
Investigators believe there were two people involved. The suspects are described as two Black males in their late 20s to early 30s. The first suspect was wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt and a blue surgical mask and brandished a firearm with his left hand. The second suspect had a lighter skin tone than his partner and was wearing a multi-colored jacket and basketball shorts.
Manuel says they did get away with a piece of postal equipment, but would not say what.
If you think you have information that could help the case, you are asked to call the United States Postal Inspection Service at 877-876-2455 or @CrimeStoppersCO at 720-913-STOP with tips.
