'Nobody Cares': Frustrated Edgewater resident upset about mail stolen with 'arrow key'
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Stolen mail keys, the culprit behind countless cases of mail theft CBS 2 has been covering for years.
Now, Only on 2, another new case in Edgewater. The building has been broken into, tenants say, more than once using those keys. Only one of those times, the key wasn't stolen, but made from a simple kitchen utensil.
CBS 2's Sabrina Franza has the story you'll see Only on 2.
It's a fork, but could it also be a mail key?
"The key was just a metal fork that they had whittled the pattern into the fork."
Jeremy Brown has lived in the same Edgewater apartment for six years. In 2020, he said someone used a makeshift arrow key to get inside.
An arrow key is a type of master key used by USPS to get into buildings and mailboxes to deliver mail. It wasn't until this happened a few weeks ago, that Brown decided to contact CBS 2.
"Comes in, and basically empties everything out of our mailboxes," Brown said.
Someone uses another arrow key. It's not clear if this one was real or not to get into their building and into their mailboxes.
"When I saw her just open up everything and take everything out, I was, yeah, I was surprised."
This wasn't the first time cameras caught mail theft in progress in Edgewater. CBS 2 was at another building back in August, same thing. It's not clear if the two cases are connected.
The keys can be used to open doors and mailboxes across a particular neighborhood or jurisdiction. That fact and the fork have Brown particularly concerned.
"And who knows how many copies there are."
When CBS 2 asked about this latest case, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service could not provide an update. Chicago police said they suspended it, possibly, police said, exhausting all leads.
"Nobody cares. We're residents, and it's like just take our stuff and do what you want with it."
Brown said the only thing he can do now is offer to pick up his neighbor's packages while they're away and hope someone does something about the arrow keys.