Orlando USPS letter carrier robbed while delivery mail; $50,000 reward offered for info leading to arrest

Orlando mailman robbed in broad daylight, police offering reward for information on suspect

Police are offering a reward leading to the arrest of a man accused of robbing an Orlando mail carrier

ORLANDO, Fla. - A United States Postal Service letter carrier was threatened and robbed while delivering mail in Orlando in early October. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is now offering up to $50,000 for information leading to the suspect's arrest and conviction.

It is the fifth reported robbery of a mail carrier in Central Florida – and fourth in Orlando – this year, according to a spokesperson for U.S. Postal Inspector.

According to the Orange County Sheriff's Office incident report, the mail carrier was preparing to deliver mail on Oct. 4, 2022 on Nowell Street in Orlando, when a man in a gaiter-style mask approached him and said he wanted the mail carrier's "arrow" key, which unlock mailboxes.

At first, the mail carrier thought the man was joking, but the man "held his hands near the pocket of his hoodie to implie he had a weapon, and demanded the key," the report states. The mail carrier was threatened and handed the man his keys, who then ran down Nowell Street and turned on Berry Street, according to the report.

The mail carrier then called 911.

"I went outside and I asked what’s going on and he said I was robbed," said neighbor Raymond Briere. "I don’t know what the guy wants out of the mail. There’s only bills."

The suspect was described as a male, in his late teens or early twenties, about five foot, 11 inches, and skinny build. He was weeping a light gray or white hoodie, a white gaiter-style mask, and sweatpants.

A flier by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service said the suspect drove away in a gray Jeep Grand Cherokee, accompanied by a photo of the suspect and the vehicle. Anyone with information is asked to contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-977-876-2455, and to say "law enforcement" when prompted. The case # is 3849657.

Another robbery happened on the same street on Oct. 4, the spokesperson said. Two others happened in Orlando in March and August, and one happened in July in South Brevard County.

While postal robberies are "rare," the spokesperson said, the agency has seen an increase this year.