Suspect sought after mail carrier robbed at gunpoint in University City

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A reward of up to $150,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person who robbed a mail carrier in Philadelphia's University City section.

"The reward money is so high because we take this seriously," said US Postal Inspector for the Philadelphia Division, George Clark.

The robbery happened in the area of Chester Avenue and South 43rd Street around 2 p.m. on December 20.

Surveillance video released Tuesday shows the crime was discreet and not violent. It looks as though two men are having a polite conversation. People walking by seemed to have no idea what was happening just a few feet away.

Clark said the mail carrier was threatened with a gun the suspect did not show and said he would shoot the mail carrier unless he handed over his keys.

Clark said the suspect was likely looking for keys to USPS collection boxes. Oftentimes, in these cases, thieves are looking for checks to alter and pass fraudulently. The suspect could face federal prosecution and years in prison.

"It's a federal crime to rob a mail carrier, it's a federal crime to possess those keys when you're not authorized to, it's a federal crime to use those keys to steal mail," said Clark.

Right now, the Postal Inspector's office is only looking for one man. He is presumed armed and dangerous and they believe he may have had help.

"He jumped into maybe a dark-colored sedan, I don't have a lot more than that to provide, so presumably there are others that he is working with and that is consistent with this sort of criminal conduct," Clark said.

In this case the mailman was not hurt, just threatened, but the Postal Inspector's Office asks anyone with information about what happened should contact them at 1-877-876-2455 or visit www.uspis.gov.