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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Two incidents of vandalism have done significant damage to a portion of one of Clearlake's two post offices and resulted in nighttime closures for the facility.
Postmaster Miguel A. Chavez said the incidents happened late last week and over the weekend at the post office, located at 14500 Olympic Drive.
In the first incident – believed to have occurred late Friday night or early Saturday morning – someone set fire to a trash can inside the building, Chavez said.
He said the fire went up one of the building's columns. “Luckily, it was contained just to the one area there.”
However, he said the damage – particularly from the fire's smoke – was “extensive.”
On Monday he didn't have a dollar figure available for damages.
The damaged area is still roped off and will remain that way until investigators with the federal US Postal Inspection Service – the law enforcement agency tasked with dealing with crimes related to the US Postal Service – have a chance to assess the scene, Chavez said.
“We do have surveillance footage of an individual who may have started the fire,” said Chavez. “That’s under investigation by the federal authorities.”
He said the federal authorities also work with local law enforcement on cases.
Chavez noted that in his four years as postmaster, “We’ve had vandalism before, but not fire.”
Then, sometime late Sunday night or early Monday, someone used a BB gun to shoot several of the post office's windows, Chavez said.
The building remains open to the public during daytime hours, said Chavez. However, it's now being closed from 8 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. daily.
“That’s until further notice,” and depends on a decision by the US Postal Inspection Service, Chavez said.
Anyone with information about the crimes can call the US Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 and follow the prompts.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
