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Burglars hit Capitol Hill post office
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Posted on Nov 10 2005
The U.S. Postal Service allayed fears yesterday that some absentee ballots might have been stolen during a recent break-in at the Capitol Hill post office.
According to a USPS employee, all absentee ballots were being kept secured in the main postal office in Chalan Kanoa. The Capitol Hill does not house any election returns, he added.
The Commonwealth Election Commission will retrieve the absentee ballots from the postal office on Nov. 19.
Citing information from Guam-based U.S. postal inspector Craig Hales, Saipan Tribune columnist Ruth Tighe said the burglary occurred between the time the post office closed on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 26, and the time it opened on Thursday morning, Oct. 27.
Tighe, who was at the Capitol Hill post office the morning the burglary was discovered, said the break-in was done by one or more unknown suspects.
“Based on the calls from people who have reported missing mail, as much as one “tray”—the equivalent of one of those plastic boxes used to transport mail—was stolen. One tray is equivalent to between 50 and 150 pieces of mail,” Tighe said, quoting information provided her by Hales.
Information about the theft was not made public earlier because the inspector did not want to jeopardize the ongoing investigation.
However, the USPS is now seeking help from the public.
The U.S. postal inspector is reportedly offering up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individuals involved.
Anyone who has not yet reported mail missing, or who has any information about the burglary, is asked to call Hales on Guam at 671-735-2124, or send an e-mail to cmhales@uapis.gov.
Those having information about the burglary can also call CNMI Crime Stoppers at 234-7272 or the CNMI Department of Public Safety at 664-9042.
