Postal worker robbed at gunpoint while delivering mail in Central Fresno, police say
By Brisa Colón
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FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — A frightening morning for a local mail carrier. In broad daylight, a thief is captured on video approaching a mailman in Central Fresno and robbing him at gunpoint.
The gunman then walked off and is still on the run. This all happened in a neighborhood off Hammond Avenue near Fruit Avenue.
It was 11 Thursday morning when a mailman was on his daily route in Central Fresno.
Doorbell video captured a man wearing all black appear from the sidewalk. A different view shows the man with a hand in his pocket- cross the grass to approach the mailman. That’s when police say he pulled out a gun and in a matter of seconds robbed the mail carrier.
But it was the moment right after, the mailman continued to deliver the mail to one more house as the robber walked off. The postman then approached a nearby car to ask for help.
“Give it up to the mailman, who actually finished delivering the mail right after it happened, and then finally it all kind of caught up to him once the guy was gone,” says Jephrey Neville, neighbor.
Police say the armed robber took off with the mailman’s phone, wallet, and keys, including keys to his mail van. The robber did not take his bag of mail.
The postman, thankfully, uninjured.
Authorities say the robber used what appeared to be a black handgun.
Police and federal law enforcement were on scene in minutes canvassing the area for a trace of the suspect who could now face federal charges.
“Shocked, I’m shocked why? He has no money,” says Dan Saunders, neighbor.
“He’s our favorite mailman, you know, I was telling the officer, mailman should only have to be worried about dogs and everything and not being robbed at gunpoint,” says Neville.
Neville was left heartbroken; he couldn’t believe this happened to his neighborhood mailman.
“I wanted to give him a hug. The first thing I went up, I shook his hand. I told him I was really sorry, it just shouldn’t happen to people like that,” says Neville.
At this point, the US Postal Service authorities are handling the investigation.
Action News has learned that there is a reward for anyone who has information leading to the suspect, that reward could be up to 150-thousand dollars.
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