“It’s been pried apart like with crowbars and the whole back of the mailbox is completely bent out so they’ve been able to take mail from every box,” Eastlake neighbor Lisa Roberts told NBC 7. “My concern is I have a check coming from work. “
Around 10:30 p.m. Sunday night Roberts said a neighbor texted her saying someone had broken into their mailboxes. The metal on the back of the boxes had been pried open and all the mail was gone.
Casey Prenatt noticed the vandalism when his mother asked him to get the mail. He said he’s shocked and doesn’t understand why someone would steal mail. He explained nothing like this has ever happened before.
“Never. Nothing really bad ever happens in this neighborhood,” Prenatt said. “It’s kind of shocking something like this would happen.”
Around 11:20 a.m. Monday morning, Chula Vista police got a call about an unknown suspect damaging the community mailbox in the 700 block of River Rock Road. Although police haven't determined exactly what was stolen, residents are on edge.
Police are investigating the case as vandalism, but when they confirm mail was stolen, it will be labeled a federal crime and the US postal inspector will get involved.
Extra patrols are being conducted in the area.
