JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – U.S. Postal Service workers are facing a dangerous trend. According to new data, violent robberies are up nearly 30%.
In response, USPS is stepping up with new technology and pushing for tougher laws, but the officials say they also need the public’s help in keeping postal workers safe.
A New Jersey mail carrier was shoved to the ground in broad daylight by masked men. His first reaction? Yell for Siri to call 911.
And in Ohio, another letter carrier stared down the barrel of a gun on RING Doorbell video. You could hear her begging for her life.
These violent crimes were almost unheard of five years ago. Now? More than 2,000 mail carriers have been in some way targeted in a single year—that’s over three attacks every single day according to the National Association of Letter Carriers.
RELATED | ‘Enough is Enough’: Jacksonville letter carriers march downtown, bring awareness to recent attacks
Turns out, they’re after something called the “arrow key.” This master key can open hundreds of mailboxes, and thieves know they can sell it on the Black Market for big money.
USPS and local law enforcement are fighting back.
They’re installing high-tech electronic locks on some mailboxes and cracking down on mail theft with a new initiative called “Project Safe Delivery.” So far, over 1,000 arrests have been made.
Al Friedman, president of Florida’s Letter Carriers Association, said stronger laws are also part of the answer.
He’s backing the “Protect Our Letter Carriers Act,” commonly called “Enough is Enough” which would make the US Sentencing Commission update its guidelines, ensuring that assaulting or robbing a postal worker is treated just as seriously as assaulting a law enforcement officer.
Friedman told News4JAX about a young carrier who had a gun held to her temple by a teenager.
“She thought she was going to die. The gunman was so nervous, and she was scared that any wrong move would make it worse,” he said.
USPS workers are asking for the public’s support. It’s as simple as keeping your eyes open.
“If you see something strange, let us know,” Friedman said.
People can also take it a step further by reaching out to their state lawmakers, and ask them to support H.R. 7629 “Protect Our Letter Carriers Act of 2024″ bill.