A man will spend the weekend in custody following an alleged brazen break-in at a post office just north of Adelaide, an incident that has sparked community outrage and highlighted local concerns over police resources.
Dawn Raid on the Post Office
The burglary unfolded in the early hours of Friday morning, around 4.30am, at the Two Wells Post Office. Intriguingly, the targeted business is situated only two doors down from the town's police station, a facility that has been shut for months due to ongoing renovations.
Local business owners discovered the damage at approximately 6am and immediately alerted authorities. "When we got there, we noticed the door was all smashed in, so we just called the police and there were packages outside," shop owner Carrolyn McCulloch reported.
Chaos and Community Frustration
Officers arriving at the scene recovered parcels the alleged thief had dropped while fleeing. Inside, the post office was left in a state of chaos. The incident has left residents angry and inconvenienced.
"Completely crazy, some people might have things in there that they truly need," a local resident named Steve said. "It's wrong, just wrong stealing other people's property — now I can't get my money out."
Deputy mayor David Paton echoed the sentiment, condemning the act as "low." He expressed concern over the potential theft of critical items, stating, "You don't know what it is, are they stealing medical needs that a local needs to survive and now they won't have them for another week."
Investigation and Arrest
CCTV footage captured a person walking outside the post office shortly before the break-in. Police are now investigating whether the same suspect attempted to force entry on Tuesday morning before returning overnight to successfully smash their way inside.
Following their investigation, detectives arrested a 34-year-old man from Gawler West. He has been charged and is expected to face court later in January.
The crime has reignited frustration in the community regarding the temporary closure of their nearby police station. "Now the closest police are from Gawler or Mallala, that's miles," Steve commented, pointing to the practical difficulties created by the station's renovation.
Australia Post is working to identify which customers have had mail or parcels stolen in the incident. The organisation hopes to reopen the Two Wells branch for service on Monday.
