SEATTLE — More than 200 pieces of mail are missing after someone stole a USPS delivery truck in West Seattle, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service said.
The theft happened Monday afternoon near the intersection of 46th Ave. SW and SW Raymond St., and was captured on surveillance video, investigators said.
The Inspection Service, the law enforcement arm of the USPS, said a mail carrier had parked and locked their vehicle and was delivering letters nearby, when a suspect approached the truck, broke in, started the engine, and drove off.
“The keys were not in it, that’s one of the policies that employees at the Postal Service have to follow, if they’re leaving the vehicle, they have to lock it, they have to take the keys with them,” said John Wiegand, a Postal Inspector.
The suspect drove the vehicle a few blocks away, parked it, and fled with more than 200 pieces of mail, Wiegand said. A second suspect may have been driving a getaway vehicle, he said.
“We believe these people may be some skilled car thieves, as they were able to get into the vehicle pretty quickly and drive away with that vehicle pretty darn quickly, within seconds of getting it,” Wiegand said.
The Inspection Service is offering up to a $1,000 reward for information that helps them track down a suspect. Their tip line is: 206-748-5430.
Anyone who thinks their mail may be missing should contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.