An employee of the Dayton, Tn., Post Office has been found with a large collection of stolen mail, the Rhea County Sheriff's Office said.
Melissa Chance was stopped in a red mail Jeep on Saturday around 3:37 p.m. by Detective Charlie Jenkins and Sgt. Stephen Husky. The stop on Highway 60 was for a suspected impaired driver.
The officers said it is believed Ms. Chance was impaired from drug use.
She had with her numerous pieces of U.S. mail from addresses ranging from Ooltewah, Hixson, Soddy Daisy, Sale Creek and Dayton. The items were addressed to various individuals.
The officers said there were approximately 175 unopened pieces of mail and approximately 100 open pieces.
Ms. Chance was also found with numerous prescriptions, gift cards, etc. that had been sent through the mail to other individuals.
United States Postal Inspectors were contacted about the mail theft and the mail was turned over to them for an Office of Inspector General’s investigation.
Authorities said Ms. Chance was an employee of the Dayton Post Office, but she had also worked for other locations in the Hamilton County area.