Executive Summary
- A second juvenile, age 14, has been charged with armed robbery and assault regarding a November 2024 attack on a mail carrier.
- Investigators allege the suspects used a BB gun resembling a firearm and struck the victim in the face to steal a postal key.
- Authorities confirmed the recovery of the weapon, clothing, and the stolen postal key.
- Both defendants were released on personal recognizance with strict no-contact conditions following their arraignment.
A second teenager from Lowell, Massachusetts, has been charged in connection with the armed robbery of a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier in Billerica last November, authorities announced on Friday. The 14-year-old defendant joins a 15-year-old co-defendant in facing charges of armed robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon following an investigation into the violent encounter.
According to a joint statement issued by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, the Billerica Police Department, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the incident occurred on November 12, 2024. Investigators allege that the two juveniles traveled by train from Lowell to Billerica with the specific intent of targeting a mail carrier. Upon locating the victim near the town center, the pair allegedly followed him before launching the attack at approximately 1:30 p.m.
Authorities stated that one of the teenagers struck the mail carrier in the face while the other brandished a BB gun designed to resemble a semiautomatic handgun. The suspects demanded and obtained a postal mailbox key before fleeing the scene. Detectives reported recovering the suspects’ outer clothing and the weapon in the surrounding area shortly after the robbery. The stolen postal key was recovered approximately two months later.
The identification of the suspects was achieved through witness interviews, surveillance footage, and the execution of several search warrants, according to the police report. While the 15-year-old was arrested in November, the charges against the 14-year-old were revealed in the Friday press release. Officials confirmed that both teens have been arraigned and subsequently released on personal recognizance, with conditions to avoid contact with the victim and each other.
This development follows a separate arrest in early January 2025 involving an 18-year-old and two other juveniles accused of mail theft in Billerica. However, investigators noted that it remains unclear if that case is directly related to the November armed robbery.
Investigative Outlook
This incident underscores the persistent security challenges facing postal workers, particularly regarding the theft of “arrow keys” used to access community mailboxes. The involvement of juveniles traveling across municipal lines to commit targeted violent crimes with replica firearms highlights a complex issue for local law enforcement and federal agencies. As proceedings move forward, the judicial focus will likely center on the severity of the assault and the premeditated nature of the robbery. It is important to note that all individuals charged in this case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
