Tolleston Post Office in Gary

Ex-postal workers named in 2017 Tolleston Post Office robbery

Contributed By:The 411 News

U.S. Attorney Thomas Kirsch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Hammond announced charges Tuesday against 3 for the 2017 robbery of the Tolleston Post Office, 2407 W. 11th Avenue, in Gary.

Tanisha Banks, age 38, James Caffey, age 28 and Leeroy Beck, age 28, all residents of northwest Indiana, were named in the indictment.

The three were charged with conspiracy to commit robbery. Beck and Caffey are also charged with using a firearm during the commission of the robbery on August 3, 2017.

According to the indictment, Banks and Caffey are former postal employees and Banks once worked at the Tolleston Post Office.

The indictment states, “Banks informed Beck and Caffey with the location of the Post Office cash, a description of the type of bag holding the cash, and the manner in which the cash left the building.” Additionally, Banks told them, “… at the end of the day only two employees would be at the Post Office and that following the robbery, both employees should be locked in the Post Office ladies restroom.”

The indictment also states that Banks and Caffey instructed Beck how to “avoid showing up on the video surveillance cameras used by local churches and businesses surrounding the Tolleston Post Office.”

Beck was alone when he approached a postal worker leaving the Post Office and pointed a gun at her, demanding her keys to the postal van. He entered the van and pulled out a registered mail bag and a piece of mail. Beck and the employee then entered the Post Office and he locked the two employees in the ladies restroom.

Beck was the first to be indicted for the post office robbery, on June 20. A month later, he was in custody with a September 24th trial date. That trial date is now rescheduled for January 2019.

Banks and Caffey were arrested Tuesday and will be arraigned on Thursday, September 27.

Story Posted:09/25/2018