KETTERING — We talked to people about the most recent case of mail theft in the Miami Valley.
>>ORIGINAL STORY: 2 men, teen arrested in Kettering post office theft
Kettering Police arrested two men and a teenager after an officer said they found several pieces of mail, stolen mail, during a traffic stop this weekend.
News Center 7′s Brandon Lewis spoke with numerous people Monday night as they drove up to put their mail in those drop boxes.
But police are warning people not to do that.
“Yes, we’ve heard about it and that’s the reason we come over and put ours in the building,” said Albert Ritchie of Kettering. “Rather than if we have a check or something, we put it in the building and that way it’s safer.”
That’s what Kettering Police are now telling people to do.
“We’ve been having a lot of issues with people stealing from the drop boxes,” said Tyler Johnson, Kettering Police Public Information Officer. “Try to avoid those mailboxes at all costs.”
Kettering Police said an officer saw a car stop by the drop boxes at the Forrer Boulevard Post Office after 12:00 a.m. Saturday.
“It appeared they were attempting to get into the mailboxes at the Forrer location but saw the officer inside,” Johnson told Lewis. “Thought it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to do it right in front of them.”
The report said the officer followed the car, stopped it for an expired registration and then searched inside.
“Several items of mail, cash, checks were recovered.”
Police arrested the driver Cameron Harnish, 20, his passenger Terell Roase, 21, and a 15-year old teen.
“The few people making things hard for the rest of us,” said Leanne Davis of Kettering. “It’s not hard to follow the rules and be a good person.”
Davis lives across the street from the Forrer Boulevard Post Office and used used those drop boxes.
“I think I would be more cautious about it,” she said. “Probably try to wait to mail stuff until I’m handing it to a real person instead of just assuming the box is going to be fine.”
Last month, News Center 7 reported on separate crimes where thieves with guns robbed a mail carrier in Dayton and Trotwood.
Kettering Police told Lewis they do not think the crimes are connected with happened on Forrer Boulevard.