USPS mail carrier robbed at gunpoint in Peabody
PEABODY - A United States Postal Service mail carrier was robbed of mailbox keys at gunpoint while on his route in Peabody on Wednesday, police said.
Peabody police officers responded at about 12:30 p.m. to the intersection of Lynn Street and Veterans Memorial Drive for the reported robbery. No injuries were reported.
The carrier told police the robber approached him from behind.
"The suspect brandished a black firearm and demanded his keys to the Postal Boxes," police said.
A Peabody neighbor's doorbell camera recorded the whole thing. "One of the videos shows him walking down the sidewalk. You don't get a look at the face, but you get a good look at the build, how they're walking," the neighbor told WBZ-TV.
Police said they are looking for a gray Honda that fled toward Lynn. They described the robber as "an African American male in his 20's with a skinny build, approximately 5' 08" in height" and wearing a puffy black jacket with a yellow hoodie and blue face mask.
Mail fraud is on the rise, making the workers focused on carrying it targets themselves. Last month, Melrose police arrested two teenagers for armed robbery of a letter carrier. Investigators there said the suspects were inspired to steal by a trend they saw on TikTok.
"It's just not what you expect to happen," the Peabody neighbor said. "You're out doing your job and some knucklehead comes along and says 'I'm ruining your day.'"