Another armed robbery involving a letter carrier occurred in North Texas this month, with federal authorities offering a reward of up to $150,000 for information leading to an arrest.
Two suspects are being sought in connection to a robbery in the 500 block of Lamplighter Circle in Arlington at about 1:40 p.m. on February 9, according to Arlington police. The victim was a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier, adding to the fear and anxiety building among federal workers these past months in the metroplex.
As previously covered by The Dallas Express, the past few months have seen a string of robberies committed targeting mail carriers in Dallas. Although stealing U.S. mail is a federal felony punishable by hefty fines and up to five years in prison, very few robbers are ever caught. A rally was recently organized by postal workers in Dallas, Oklahoma City, and Jacksonville to protest the violence and call for action.
“It’s becoming ridiculous,” said Kim Lewis, president of Dallas’ National Association of Letter Carriers Chapter, according to NBC 5 DFW. “Now, it’s so much uncertainty.”
“It’s devastating because the letter carriers will be even more fearful when they’re made aware there’s been one other attack,” she added.
The suspects in the latest Arlington attack on a postal worker were described in a press release as black, in their late teens, and standing between 5 feet 10 inches tall and 6 feet 2 inches tall.
While one suspect wore a black letterman jacket with red and blue stripes on the shoulders, black shorts, and a mask, the other had on a white shirt and blue shorts. The latter was described as having a box-cut hairstyle.
Anyone with information is urged to contact 1-877-876-2455 while referencing case number 4248172-ROBB. Tipsters’ identities are kept confidential.
The United States Postal Inspection Service is investigating the latest robbery incidents. Postal workers also have their own police force — the Postal Police Officers Association (PPOA). Yet, as PPOA’s national president, Frank Albergo, explained, USPS “refuses to use” it, according to CBS News Texas. He said that cuts to PPOA’s routes over the past few years are to blame for the 800% hike in crime targeting postal service workers nationwide.
In Dallas, property crime in general has been prevalent, comprising 60.7% of crimes reported this year as of February 25, according to the City’s crime analytics dashboard data. While robberies are recorded as violent crimes, they too have grown year-over-year, with 317 logged so far in 2023.
As evidenced in studies conducted by the Metroplex Civic & Business Association, Downtown Dallas is growing into a hot spot for crime, especially motor vehicle thefts, assaults, and drug offenses. It regularly logs more offenses than the downtown area of Fort Worth, which the authorities patrol using a dedicated police unit and private security officers.
The Dallas Police Department, on the other hand, has been chronically understaffed, with just 3,000 officers in the field despite a City report recommending a police presence of around 4,000 officers to ensure public safety.
City officials recently voted in a $654 million budget for DPD this year, leaving it with far less taxpayer money for police operations than the sums spent in other high-crime cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City.
