After rash of postal service robberies, reward offered for information on suspect in Maryland

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information about the man who robbed a Postal Service mail carrier in Silver Spring, Maryland, on Wednesday morning.

The suspect is described as a Black male in his late 20s, with an average build and height about 5-foot-10 The robber was wearing a black shirt, black pants, black and white Puma shoes, and an orange jacket.

The suspect fled in a red vehicle thought to be a Jeep Cherokee or Compass, the inspection service said.

In a tweet, the USPIS provided pictures of the suspect.

The USPIS is offering a reward of up to $50k for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect(s) who robbed a #USPS letter carrier in Silver Spring, MD, on December 28, 2022. #USPIS pic.twitter.com/xS7Arx5tHv

— USPIS_DC (@USPIS_DC) December 29, 2022

The robbery happened around 8:30 a.m. at 1215 East-West Highway in downtown Silver Spring. No further information about the incident, the victim or the suspect was available.

Robberies of mail carriers have been a national and regional issue, with many suspects seeking out the keys to blue mail storage bins hoping to find cash, checks or other valuables inside the mail. Three suspects in Wisconsin were arrested and charged this week with the Dec. 9 murder of a Milwaukee postal worker, 28-year-old Aundre Cross, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

In Silver Spring alone, three postal carriers were robbed last month. On Nov. 8 in the 2400 block of Linden Lane, there was an armed robbery of a postal worker at around 1 p.m., with property taken from the mail carrier. On Nov. 10, there were two strong-arm robberies of postal workers in the downtown area, one at 940 Thayer Ave. close to 9 a.m. and one in the 8000 block of Eastern Drive at 10:26 a.m., according to Montgomery County Police.

The postal inspection service also offered a reward of up to $50,000 for information on the suspect in the Thayer Avenue incident, case number 3893206. The suspect was described as a Black male in his 50s or 60s, with short gray hair, wearing a black surgical mask, orange long-sleeve shirt, dark-colored pants and dark striped shoes.

Neither the USPIS nor Montgomery County Police have announced any arrests in the robberies.

Anyone with information about the Wednesday robbery is urged to contact the USPIS at 877-876-2455, to say “Law Enforcement” when prompted, and to refer to case number 3938890.