BULVERDE/ST. HEDWIG, Texas – The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is asking for the public's help in solving two burglaries in the past week at a U.S. post office and contract post office.
The Bulverde contract post office was burglarized overnight, and the St. Hedwig post office was burglarized sometime between the night of Nov. 9 and the morning of Nov. 10, according to Postal Inspector Michael Martinez-Partida, the team leader for the San Antonio office.
At both locations, the thief or thieves only got into the vestibule area, not the main part of the post office, he said. They took about 15 packages from each one, plus some mail from the Bulverde location.
In both instances, access was gained through the rear or side doors.
"In both instances, it looks like the doors were pried open," Martinez-Partida said.
Martinez-Partida said the post office burglaries were the first and second in the area in more than a year
If they had decided to steal from just about anywhere else, it'd probably be a state offense. Because they stole mail, though, it’s a federal crime.
"You're looking at five years at least for each particular instance," Martinez Partida said.
In addition to happening around the same time in the same fashion, both locations were in rural areas without fences or security cameras. Martinez-Partida said they may be similar, but the USPIS wasn't ready to say the crimes are connected.
"We would be prepared to say once we have something that forensically connects it or something a little bit stronger than coincidence," he said.
Martinez-Partida said investigators were able to get fingerprints at St. Hedwig and DNA evidence at Bulverde, but they don't have any witnesses.
The USPIS is offering $10,000 in each case for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Anyone with information can call 877-876-2455.
The USPIS is in the process of contacting the senders and recipients of the stolen mail to see what was taken. If you have questions about your package, you should contact your local post office.