KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A former postal worker in Knoxville has been arrested after deputies say they found nearly $1 million worth of stolen checks inside his car. But local authorities say there's a mail theft trend that's bigger than one arrest.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office said Dontray Ligon was taken into custody over the weekend during a traffic stop when deputies found stolen mail in his Infiniti. A spokesperson from the United States Postal Service's Office of the Inspector General said Ligon is no longer an employee.
Ligon was being held in jail as of Friday.
Knoxville area residents have reported dozens of thefts of mail this year.
For example, data obtained from Knoxville police shows that since January in the city there have been 56 reports of stolen checks, totaling more than $500,000 in losses. The Sutherland Avenue post office, located in the Bearden area, has seen the highest number of reports, with 23 checks stolen, worth around $300,000.