Buffalo, NY (WBEN) A Buffalo man has been charged with stealing a postal key.33 year old Kaevon Leonard is accused of robbing a letter carrier of the arrow key at gunpoint while making rounds in July 2024.The arrow key can access several hundred blue collection boxes in the region.
Prosecutor's say soon after the robbery, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, financial institutions, and local law enforcement started receiving numerous complaints from individuals and businesses, claiming they mailed envelopes containing checks from Buffalo metro-area blue collection boxes, which were stolen, altered and cashed, rather than delivered to their intended recipients.
Police say the identified a number of people, including Leonard, posting pictures of USPS arrow keys on social media, including one posted to a Facebook account showing Leonard holding an arrow key attached to a USPS issued chain, which letter carriers use to secure the arrow key to their belt loops. On August 22, 2025, another image of Leonard was posted to his Facebook account showing an arrow key attached to his belt loop with a carabiner. On September 23, 2025, a search warrant was executed at Leonard’s North Park Avenue residence. During a search of Leonard’s person, investigators recovered a USPS arrow key, which was attached to his belt loop with a carabiner. The arrow key included the same serial number of the arrow key stolen from the letter carrier in July 2024. Investigators also recovered additional evidence of Leonard recruiting check cashers, also known as “mules,” on social media, and possessing stolen mail and checks.
Leonard made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and released on home detention.
Prosecutors say social media posts led to arrest
Prosecutors say social media posts led to arrest
