Keyon Shakur Ponder
An investigation into the theft of mail from a Dalton post office has led to a warrant for the arrest of an Atlanta man. Now investigators are looking for more people who might have unwittingly been victims of the crime.
On May 6, two simple devices were found inside of the blue mail drop boxes outside of the U.S. Post Office at 100 S. Thornton Ave. in Dalton. The devices were apparently designed to catch mail dropped inside of the boxes so the thief could later easily retrieve the mail without the Post Office being aware. Postal employees detected and removed the devices before noon and retrieved the mail that had been captured by them.
The post office contacted the Dalton Police Department and an investigation began. However, later in the month, a victim came forward to report they suspected that their checks had been stolen from the drop box that day because they did not reach their destination.
Detectives were able to determine that an Atlanta man, Keyon Shakur Ponder, 26, was responsible for placing the devices. Detectives have obtained warrants for Ponder's arrest on charges of criminal trespassing, interference with government property, and theft by taking.
The Dalton Police Department is still investigating this crime, and investigators are asking for people to come forward if they believe that they might have also had mail stolen. If you mailed items from the U.S. Post Office on Thornton Avenue on May 6, before noon using the outside drop boxes and those items went missing or undelivered, contact Detective Brian Shirley at 706 278-9085, extension 9-189.