For 15 years, Kevin Addison has delivered mail to residents on Wynterhall Lane in Dunwoody.
In that time, he’d gotten to know his customer’s routines. So, when a few of his residents placed holds on their mail, it struck him as odd.
Addison’s suspicions ultimately helped Dunwoody police nab an identity theft suspect.
On Monday, the city of Dunwoody honored Addison for his crime-fighting efforts.
Addison noticed the unusual number of mail holds during the holiday season. Mail hold requests are typically made by people who are going out of town for an extended amount of time.
“The name (on the holds) didn’t match up,” Addison said at the event honoring him.
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On Dec. 10, Addison informed two residents of a mail hold request the post office had received for their address, according to a Dunwoody police report obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The request was submitted under a name, William Bates, and phone number the couple did not recognize, the police report said.
Addison told his supervisor about the suspicious holds. Postal inspectors and police organized an undercover sting, luring the suspect using junk mail, Channel 2 Action News previously reported.
Credit: DeKalb County Sheriff's Office
Credit: DeKalb County Sheriff's Office
Dunwoody police researched the mysterious phone number, which had a Boston area code. The investigation resulted in the arrest of Samuel Oyinola, 25, of Atlanta. He was booked in the DeKalb County Jail Dec. 12 on charges of financial identity fraud, financial transaction card theft and criminal attempt charges.
With Addison’s help police were also able to identify three additional victims.
At the Monday event, Dunwoody police also honored Craig Charles Dowling. On. Nov. 8, police said Dowling chased down an alleged wallet snatcher at a Publix on Chamblee-Dunwoody Road. His actions led to the suspect’s arrest, police said.
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