Chloe Rafferty and Justin Moore
SPRING LAKE, N.C. (WNCN) — Spring Lake police are reaching out to the public to see if anyone can help them identify a vehicle or the driver, which they said were involved in a robbery.
At about 3 p.m. Monday, officers said someone robbed a United States Postal Service employee.
According to a 911 call made by the victim’s coworker, the robbery happened on the 200 block of South Grogg St., a dead-end street in a neighborhood up the road from Spring Lake Middle School.
The caller said the suspect robbed his coworker, a mail carrier in his thirties, at gunpoint and took the mail truck key from him while he was in uniform.
He said the victim was alone at the time of the robbery and that he and their supervisor were called to the area after it happened.
Neighbors told CBS17 the mail carrier who was robbed was back at work on Tuesday.
“My wife spoke to him this morning and found out what they got was the key to his vehicle. Not the key that they wanted. They wanted the key to the mailboxes,” Stan Ollis, a Grogg Street resident said.
The police department shared photos of an older red pickup truck they said the suspect is believed to be driving.
The United States Postal Inspection Service says the vehicle is believed to be a Chevrolet.
“Kind of upset me that the mailman would get robbed. I don’t know why anybody would want to do that. Doesn’t make sense. He’s a caring guy. It was no reason to rob him,” Ollis said.
Police are asking anyone with information about the vehicle or the driver to come forward.
According to the United States Postal Inspection Service, armed robbery of a postal employee is a violation of Title 18, U.S. Code Section 2114 and is punishable by up to 25 years in prison.
A representative said letter carriers are trained to observe for suspicious and/or unsafe conditions and are encouraged to report these observations to supervisors and the Inspection Service.
“Letter carriers are trained to immediately move to a safe location and dial 911 if a robbery occurs,” she said.
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Anyone with information is asked to contact the Spring Lake Police Department at 910-436-0350 or Fayetteville / Cumberland County Crime Stoppers at (910) 483-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers information can also be submitted electronically by completing the anonymous online tip sheet, or by downloading the FREE “P3 Tips” app.
How does Crime Stoppers pay tipsters? Find out by watching the video below.
This is a developing story. Check back for details.
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