Martin Man Arrested for Stealing Mail

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia

Vern McIntyreA Martin man sits in the Franklin County Jail, charged with stealing mail out of people’s mailboxes.

Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Chief Investigator Jimmy LeCroy said the arrest happened last week in the Gumlog Community.

According to LeCroy, 37-year old Vernon Chad McIntyre of Martin was arrested after Franklin County officers received multiple complaints of a suspicious white male along Highway 328.

LeCroy said that when McIntyre was picked up, deputies found he was in possession of U.S. mail that was believed to have been stolen from mailboxes in the area.

He went on to say that investigators were able to link Mcintyre to multiple mail thefts within a four mile radius that began at the Franklin-Stephens County line and went to Lavonia.

Meanwhile, LeCroy said Mcintyre is also a suspect in mail thefts in the month of August 2014 in the Gumlog and Martin areas.

Also, LeCroy said the investigation revealed that McIntyre was in the community walking where he was committing acts of theft, criminal trespass, and burglary.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the United States Postal Inspectors, Atlanta Field Division, and the local Postmasters of the Lavonia and Martin Post offices.

Law Enforcement urged local citizens on the Martin and Lavonia mail routes in the Gumlog Community to report any U.S. mail tampering or thefts to local authorities or to their local U.S. Post Master.

Currently, all U.S. mail that was seized during the investigation has been returned to the appropriate Post Master for delivery.

McIntyre is currently incarcerated at the Franklin County Detention Center.

As the criminal case proceeds, additional charges are expected.