JAY — The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the person or persons responsible for a burglary of the Post Office in North Jay.

The service is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual who burglarized the office, according to a release from Postal Inspection Service.

Burglary or robbery of a postal unit is a federal offense that can carry a sentence of up to five years in prison.

Jay police responded to a report of a burglary at the Hairitage House at 21 East Dixfield Road, also known as Route 17, on Monday morning. The beauty salon and the Post Office are connected in the back, but have separate entrances.

Marilyn Morse is the owner of the building and the salon and the manager of the postal unit. 

The burglary took place between 4 p.m. on Saturday and 7:45 a.m. on Monday. Initially, it was thought to have taken place between Sunday night and Monday morning, Jay Detective Michael Mejia said Monday.

Access was gained to a safe, which is owned by Morse, he said Tuesday. A small amount of cash was stolen, he said.

At this point in the joint investigation, it doesn’t appear that there was any mail theft, said Bernadette Lundbohm, postal inspector and public information officer for the service in Boston office,

The Postal Inspection Service is the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Postal Service, she said Tuesday.

The investigation is ongoing.

The Postal Inspection Service is asking that if anyone was in the area of the North Jay Post Office between Saturday afternoon and Monday morning and recalls seeing any unusual activity, suspicious vehicles or individuals lingering around the Post Office, contact the service at 1-877-876-2455 and select option 2.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net