KETTERING, Ohio (WDTN) — The Kettering Police Department announced it has made multiple arrests related to the recent thefts from area post offices.
On Tuesday, April 26, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said deputies found that keys had been stolen from a postal worker as she delivered mail. These keys have the ability to open any and all blue post office boxes.
Mailbox thefts have been reported all across the state and in the Miami Valley over the weekend, as thieves hit locations in Kettering and Beavercreek. Police said there have been 26 recent mailbox thefts at the Washington Township post office on Paragon Road alone.
Residents are reporting that their checks have been photoshopped, duplicated or altered, and thousands of dollars are being directed to a different source.
Thursday morning, investigators served a search warrant at an apartment on the 3200 block of Gracemore Ave in Kettering.
While at the apartment, investigators discovered four men were in possession of stolen mail from the post office drop box at 1490 Forrer Blvd in Kettering.
Kettering police announced Thursday that Keith Callahan, 23, of Dayton, Leonard Blackstone, 19, of Kettering, Jeff Weaver, 22, of Centerville, and Amond Turner, 22, of Trotwood, were all arrested.
All four suspects were arrested for receiving stolen property and theft charges.
Kettering police said they don’t believe these are the only individuals who are involved in the Miami Valley mailbox thefts.
“It’s not just them, it’s this entire region and I’m guessing that it’s probably across this entire country that this is occurring. So local departments we’ve been in contact with, yes,” Chief Christopher Prostman explained.
Police recommended that citizens avoid using the outside drop boxes, and go inside the post office to send any mail.
Anyone who may have dropped mail into the drop boxes at the Forrer Blvd post office in Kettering between 5 p.m. Wednesday to 1:30 a.m. Thursday are asked to contact Detective Vince Mason at 937-296-2583 to see if your mail was recovered by the Kettering Police Department.
Stay with 2 NEWS as this story will be updated.
