The Parker post office was broken into late last week. According to officials from the U.S. Postal Service, the Parker break-in was one of four burglaries that occurred between Thursday, April 4, and Monday, April 8. (Journal file photo)
PARKER – The U.S. Postal Service is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the arrest of the one or more suspects who broke into the post offices in Parker, Lane, Bucyrus and Rantoul between Thursday, April 4 and Monday, April 8.
The post office in Parker was broken into sometime between 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 4, and 8:30 a.m. Friday morning postal officials said. The burglary was reported about 8:30 a.m. on Friday, according to a report received by Linn County Sheriff Kevin Friend.
Friend said the Parker Police Department responded to the call about the break-in. His office received a report on the incident from Cody Kiser, who is a part-time Parker police officer and full-time Linn County deputy.
According to the report, it appeared that a crowbar was used to pry open a door to gain access to the building’s interior, possibly giving the burglars access to the building’s post office boxes, although Leawood-based Postal Inspector Paul Shade was not able to confirm that.
The post office was closed for two days while postal officials investigated the case.
Because residents who live in the city of Parker are not eligible for home delivery and must use a post office box, they did not receive mail during that period. Those people have to pay for their boxes to receive mail. Residents who are on rural routes, however, continued to receive mail because their mail comes directly from the La Cygne post office.
The Parker post office was the first of the four break-ins. The suspects hit the other facilities in this order:
• Bucyrus – Between 11:15 a.m., on April 6 and 7:45 a.m. on April 8.
• Lane – Between 12:30 p.m. on April 6 and 7:50 a.m. on April 8.
• Rantoul – Between between 3 p.m. April 6 and 7:50 a.m. on April 8.
The USPS is urging people with information not make contact with the suspect but instead contact the postal inspection service at 1-877-876-2455 (say “Law Enforcement”) and
reference Case No. 4286404-BURG. All information will be kept strictly confidential.
