Agencies seeking public’s help with Chester P.O. box break-ins
By Gregg Scott
One of the at least 30 post office boxes that were broken into recently. Photo by Gregg ScottNumerous Chester postal patrons were surprised to find their postal boxes had been forcibly opened sometime during the late hours of Sunday, Feb. 28 or early morning on March 1. Upon talking with some of them it seems that this was not the first time. Not sure of the dates, they stated that there had been two other occasions that one or two boxes had been broken into.
They noted this event was the most destructive with over 30 postal office boxes being damaged. While following up on this event, the Plumas County Sherriff’s Department confirmed that a fourth incident of vandalism occurred sometime between the evening of Sunday March 7 and Monday March 8.
Due to U S Postal regulations, the Chester Post Office could not comment on the specifics of the incidents. US Postal Inspector Matthew Norfleet, assigned to the San Francisco USPS Postal Inspection Division, confirmed an active investigation is currently under way by both the Plumas County Sherriff’s Office and the Postal Inspection Department.
Inspector Norfleet stressed that both agencies are looking for any information from the public that may help them identify the person or persons responsible for these break-ins. Businesses that are being asked to cash third-party checks, anyone that knows they lost certain pieces of mail, someone that may be missing a credit card statement that could have ID theft information on it, or anyone that may have seen peculiar activity in or around the Chester Post Office, is asked to please contact the investigating agencies as follows:
Plumas County Sheriff – (530) 283-6375
US Postal Inspection Division – (877) 876-2455 or USPIS.gov and click on Report.
He also noted that there may be a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpitraitors.
