Neighbors worry attacks on Chicago letter carriers could affect mail service
CHICAGO (CBS) – An ambush of a postal worker by armed robbers in Chicago on Thursday was caught on camera.
The robbery happened just hours after the U.S. Postal Inspection Service increased a reward for information in a shooting and robbery of another letter carrier earlier this month.
CBS 2 is always investigating, and Tara Molina had the video.
The carrier was targeted while he was on his route in Austin. Such attacks are on the minds of letter carriers throughout the city.
It was all caught on camera – a white SUV pulled up, and once the letter carrier walked up, two people got out with handguns, police said. They immediately started going through the carrier's pockets, robbing and circling him.
Then, they went back for more after being directed by the other two suspects in the SUV.
"The guys specifically says grab the keys, grab the keys," said one resident. "One of the guys doubled back to get the keys."
The homeowner who caught the whole thing on home surveillance didn't want to be identified. He was thankful the worker is OK.
"I was concerned about him. He was a little shook up," the neighbor said.
"It looks like the people in the car were older and then they sent the young kids out to actually commit the crime," said. "Because less penalties for the young kids."
Janice Sandifer, a neighbor who has lived in the neighborhood for 52 years, was also concerned.
"It's shocking," she said. "But it's not surprising."
Sandifer said neighbors have dealt with missing and delayed mail for years and fear the attacks will make it worse.
"They're going to pass the word on," she said. "They're going to quit and we won't have service pretty much at all in this neighborhood or anywhere!"
With the latest attack following robberies and a postal worker shot earlier this month, USPIS is increasing the reward for information on those crimes to $100,000.
The agency released a photo of a person of interest.
"I hope they catch them and get this under control before someone else get's hurt," said the neighbor.
Chicago police said detectives are still investigating the incident and others reported this month. No one is in custody.
