ISLETON, Calif. — Laptops, ballots and mail were stolen from two post offices during early-morning burglaries Thursday in Isleton and Ryde, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.
One post office was located on C Street in Isleton, and the other was in Ryde along Highway 160.
Employees at the Isleton location reported the backdoor was broken into, and a laptop and mail were stolen by an unknown number of suspects, officials say.
At the post office in Ryde, the suspect or suspects broke through the front door and stole a laptop and mail that was inside post office boxes.
The sheriff’s office says some of the mail stolen in the PO boxes were ballots for the November election.
According to United States Postal Inspector Mathew Norfleet, anyone who was expecting to get a ballot but has not received one should contact the Registrar of Voters and postal inspectors.
Norfleet said the agency is investigating the robberies with the theory that the robberies were connected.
“It would be quite a coincidence for two small towns, on the same highway, to get burglarized within 15 minutes of each other and for those people not to know each other,” Norfleet said.
He adds most mail theft is financially motivated and thieves are usually after checks or credit cards, so if anyone is expecting those in the mail, they should contact authorities.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Property Crimes detectives are investigating the robbery in collaboration with the United States Postal Inspector.
Anyone with information about these incidents can contact the sheriff’s office at (916) 874-5115 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-4357. Tips leading to an arrest are eligible for a cash reward of up to $1000, and tipsters can remain anonymous.
