MASON CITY – A concerned mailman called police Wednesday afternoon, suspicious of the activities of several persons as they knocked on doors on the city’s south side.
Police received a call at about 2:15 PM from a mailman working the area of South Jefferson Avenue and 23rd Street SW. The mailman claimed that several African-American persons were walking up to doors and looking into people’s mailboxes.
Police could be seen headed to the area immediately after this call was taken; they proceeded to patrol the area. Two black females with backpacks and what appeared to be identification cards around their necks were visible, walking sepearately, waiving to people as they drove by. One of the females told an NIT reporter she was selling an all-purpose cleaner and asked were Jefferson Avenue is.
Soon, police stopped one of the females and questioned her. She called out to her companion, who approached the squad car. Both were loaded up and the officer sped away.
A few blocks away, another police car was pulled over to the side of the road, at Monroe and 20th Street SW, with an African-American male sitting in the grass next to the car. The two females sat down next to him as police continued to investigate.
Within minutes, another police squad car pulled up, with yet another black male. An older, white female was also present, being questioned. She had a ID card of some kind around her neck as well.
Soon, police searched the black suspects and loaded them into the squad cars, along with the white female. All three cars were seen headed west on 19th Street, apparently in the direction of the Cerro Gordo County Jail. No word as of yet on the charges against the suspects, if any.
SUBJECTS ARE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY