CHICAGO — Two men robbed a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier as she made her rounds near Washington Park on Monday afternoon, according to Chicago police.
The postal worker was in the 5700 block of South Calumet when two men confronted her with a handgun around 1:20 p.m. They demanded her USPS master key, also known as an “arrow key,” and then fled the scene in a gray Nissan sedan, police said.
Letter carriers use “arrow keys” to quickly access secured buildings and mailboxes as they make their rounds. But the keys are also in high demand by thieves who steal mail to fuel highly organized identity theft and check cashing operations.
CPD described the suspects as Black males standing 5’8” or 5’9” tall. They wore dark clothing and face masks. Tips can be shared by calling police at 312-747-8380 or going to CPDTIP.com. Refer to incident #P25-1-022.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has offered generous six-figure rewards for information that leads to the arrests and convictions of people who commit crimes against postal workers. Late last month, the agency announced it was preparing checks for tipsters who helped them identify and prosecute a robbery offender.
