Thefts from U.S. Postal Service vans prompts community alert

A citywide series of thefts from U.S. Postal Service delivery vehicles, in which the robbers have gained access by punching or prying open the locks, has prompted a community alert from police.

According to the alert, the six thefts happened in the:

• 4700 block of North Hermitage Avenue on Nov. 23 at about 2:15 p.m.
• 2100 block of West Balmoral Avenue on Nov. 19 at about 2:00 p.m.
• 500 block of West Wisconsin Avenue on Nov. 18 at about 11:50 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
• 2300 block of West Byron Street on Nov. 18 at about 1:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
• 1900 block of South May Street on Sept. 23 at about 9:30 a.m.
• 1600 block of North Oakley Avenue on Sept. 21 at about 1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.

In the South May Street theft, the robber was described as a 5-foot-10 Hispanic male, weighing 200 pounds and wearing a blue baseball hat and a white shirt, police said.

The robber in the North Oakley Avenue theft is described as a 30-35-year-old Hispanic male, weighing about 220 pounds. The second robber is described as a 5-foot-7 Hispanic male, 20 to 30 years old and weighing about 160 pounds, police said.

The robbers in the West Byron Street theft are described as a white male and female.

The robbers may be driving a dark gray Honda CRV.

Police ask residents to pay attention to suspicious people loitering in these areas and to call Area North detectives at (312) 744-8263 or Area Central detectives at (312) 747-8384 with any information.