A St. Cloud man is back behind bars after a delivery mix-up allegedly exposed a stash of stolen mail and packages, according to police.
Investigators say 39-year-old Joshua Keller was arrested after a homeowner found packages on her doorstep that were not hers and realized one of her own deliveries had gone missing. Officers reviewed surveillance video, which they say linked the mystery items to Keller. When police tracked him down, he was allegedly carrying a large amount of mail and packages before being booked into the Stearns County Jail.
Police also noted this was not Keller’s first recent run-in with mail-related allegations. He had previously been arrested on April 22 in a separate mail-theft case and was charged at that time with misdemeanor impersonating an officer.
Video And A Southside Sweep Led To The Arrest
According to WJON, surveillance footage helped investigators zero in on a suspect after a substantial amount of mail and packages were recovered. The suspected thefts were concentrated in a south-side grid between 5th Avenue South and 9th Avenue South, from 4th Street South to University Drive South.
Officers ultimately found Keller in possession of multiple packages, consistent with what they had seen on video, and brought him to the county facility for processing, the station reports.
Police Urge Residents To Check Deliveries
Authorities are asking residents in the affected south-side area to take a closer look at their recent deliveries and any home-surveillance footage. Anyone who spots a missing package, mail that does not belong to them, or suspicious activity is urged to call the St. Cloud Police non-emergency line at 320-251-1200, per the City of St. Cloud.
Officials say Stearns County’s jail information page confirms that local arrests are processed at the county facility where Keller was held after this arrest. Residents who discover missing or misdelivered items are encouraged to contact investigators with tips, photos, or videos so they can work on getting recovered property back to its rightful owners.
Legal Note
Stealing mail or possessing stolen mail is not just a neighborhood headache; it can also be a federal crime. Under 18 U.S.C. § 1708, it is illegal to steal, receive, or possess U.S. mail, and violations can carry fines and potential prison time.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigates mail-related crimes and offers both an online reporting form and a national hotline. Residents can file a mail-theft report through the U.S. Postal Inspection Service or by calling 1-877-876-2455. Police recommend filing both a local police report and a Postal Inspection Service report if U.S. mail is involved, so investigators can coordinate their efforts.
