2 South Hills postal workers held at gunpoint in robberies just days apart

UPPER ST. CLAIR, Pa. — Two postal workers in the South Hills were held at gunpoint in separate incidents just two days apart, prompting a federal investigation and renewed calls for legislative protection.

Last Friday, a masked man entered the Upper St. Clair post office through a back door and held a worker at gunpoint. Just two days earlier, another postal worker was the victim of an attempted robbery while on his route in Bridgeville, along McLaughlin Run Road. The two incidents took place about a mile apart.

In Bridgeville, the letter carrier was seriously injured during the attack.

Brent Swanson, a longtime customer at the Upper St. Clair post office, said he arrived shortly after the robbery.

“I pulled in on Friday and there were two postal police cars here,” Swanson said. “It’s the first time in 30 years I’ve seen one police officer here — let alone two.”

Postal police say the two incidents are being investigated as separate but similar — both involved armed suspects targeting postal workers, and both occurred within 48 hours in neighboring communities.

Ted Lee, president of Branch 84 of the National Association of Letter Carriers, said the crimes are part of a growing national trend.

“It definitely makes you apprehensive,” Lee said. “I’ve been a letter carrier since 1994. Back then, even during the gang era, we felt safe.”

Lee represents about 2,100 letter carriers across Western Pennsylvania. He says many of these crimes are linked to one key item: the universal “arrow key,” which can unlock apartment building mailboxes, blue collection boxes, and other postal infrastructure.

“They’re just looking for valuables,” Lee said. “Checks, packages, anything they can steal.”

The postal police have not confirmed whether the suspect in Upper St. Clair stole an arrow key, but did say the suspect got away with “postal assets.

The Bridgeville carrier did not have an arrow key— and was violently attacked when he couldn’t produce it.

In response to the rising number of postal-related robberies nationwide, Lee is encouraging the public to support the Protect Our Letter Carriers Act of 2025.

If passed, the legislation would:

Fund high-security mail collection boxes
Replace outdated arrow keys with electronic versions
Appoint assistant U.S. attorneys to focus on postal-related crimes
Amend sentencing guidelines to treat the assault or robbery of a postal worker the same as an assault on a police officer

Lee also urges customers to help locally.

“Keep your Ring cameras on and share footage with postal inspectors,” he said. “Look out for your letter carriers — we’re looking out for you. And contact Congress to support House Resolution 1065.”

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