Chicago Crime: Group of 18 breaks into Thompson Center Post Office, police say

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Approximately 18 people broke into the U.S. Post Office in the Thompson Center in the Loop early Monday morning, Chicago police said.

The incident occurred at about 12:35 a.m. as police said the suspects broke the front door and entered the building. Shattered glass could be seen outside.

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Surveillance video shows one man wandering through and looking over a counter. Then in the first floor lobby, another man walks through a little more briskly. But no one inside appears concerned about security or being caught at this point.

Finally, more of the crew comes into view, including a man with a headlamp and a sweatshirt emblazoned with the word "trust."

The group, larger now and seeming to move with slightly more urgency, is finally seen running across the screen.

It is not known if anything was taken and no one is in custody, police said. Area Three detectives are investigating.

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A spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Service said, "The US Postal Inspectors and Chicago Police Department are investigating the property damage incident at the Post Office located at the Thompson Center. We are gathering information and will attempt to release information as warranted at a later date."

As the I-Team reported in 2022, the postal police, who are sworn federal law enforcement officers, saw their patrol areas cut.

The former president of the postal police union told the I-Team they used to regularly patrol the Thompson Center post office, about a mile from Chicago postal police headquarters, but said since 2020, postal police were not permitted to patrol there and instead were assigned only to protect on the job employees and occupied facilities.

Postal inspectors are offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of these thieves.

Just 10 days ago in Washington D.C., the Postmaster General announced a broad program of crime fighting actions that would harden postal targets and protect USPS employee. Letter carrier attacks, mail theft and postal fraud are all on the rise nationwide.

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