Cape woman suspected of stealing mail

~ Theft could result in federal prosecution.

The U.S. Postal Service is investigating a Cape Girardeau woman allegedly caught stealing mail from mailboxes on Christmas Eve.

Cape Girardeau police arrested Jessica Ann Shaw, 33, of 2816 Themis St., Apt. E, Sunday after a complaint from residents that Shaw was taking mail from mailboxes in the 2800 block of Whitener Street, according to a statement released Tuesday by Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle.

She is charged with mail theft and driving while intoxicated.

Shaw was followed by witnesses, who kept police informed of her location, to the Jackson city limits where police caught up with her, the statement said.

According to the probable-cause statement, witnesses said at one point Shaw drove backward at a high rate of speed not watching what she was doing.

Police caught up with Shaw on Old Cape Road, where officer Paul Zajicek observed "numerous" amounts of mail lying on the passenger seat and floor board. Zajicek also reported a strong odor of alcohol from Shaw, the report said.

Jackson police also responded to the scene.

A subsequent investigation of Shaw's vehicle uncovered mail filling three large, paper bags, according to the affidavit.

Swingle said the U.S. Postal Service plans to present the case to the federal prosecutor's office for federal prosecution, and the state will keep the DWI offense.

Swingle said the prosecutor's office has kept cases for state prosecution in the past where someone may have taken someone's mail resulting in an identity theft.

"But when somebody has gone mailbox to mailbox, stealing mail in a repeated series of incidents like this, these cases almost always go federal," Swingle said.