Crime & Safety

Man Accused of Swiping Mail from Mailboxes

Oak Lawn police say Michael E. Vickers Jr. was driving down wrong side of street and helped himself to the contents inside mailboxes as a resident followed him.

charged an Oakland, Calif., man with theft after a witness reported seeing him swiping mail on Sept. 1.

According to police reports, a resident on the 9800 block of South Meade Avenue was looking out his front window around 9 a.m. when he saw Michael E. Vickers Jr., 24, drive up to a mailbox in a blue Buick in front of the man’s house.

The resident told police he had placed a wedding invitation for the mail carrier inside the mailbox, and he saw Vickers reach inside and grab it.

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Police said the resident got in his car and followed Vickers, who was driving on the wrong side of the street, according to the report. The resident following Vickers said he saw Vickers take mail out of a mailbox on the 6100 block of West 99th Street.

When Vickers realized he was being followed, he made a U-turn at 99th and Melvina and fled the area, the report said. Police stopped Vickers’ car on the 5800 block of West 89th Street. Officers said the resident who followed Vickers positively identified him.

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Vickers was charged with theft and police advised the U.S. Postal Inspector.

No court information was included in the report.


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