Jaclyn Barna dropped off two birthday cards for her daughter back in February at the Hutchinson Island post office.
They never reached their destination.
“My daughter calls me every week and she never mentioned she received her birthday cards," said Barna Tuesday.
Martin County detectives say Robin Poetzsch, also known as Robin Butts, opened the cards, took the Target gift cards, and used them in Jensen Beach. In fact, surveillance photos showed she went back to the store on consecutive days.
“At first she denied ever stealing anything," said Detective Eugene Marcaida with the Martin County Sheriff's Office.
Detective Marcaida says Poetzsch eventually admitted to taking a handful of gift cards from the mail, as well as a few checks totaling about $600.
Poetzsch confessed to detectives she was looking for things like birthday cards. She would feel around and see if there was a gift card inside. If there was, she would take the gift card, then throw away the card and the envelope.
But not all of them. In the arrest affidavit, Poetzsch tried to enlist an employee to help her cover up her crime, by asking them to get rid of her bag that was under her desk at the Jensen Beach Post Office.
In that bag were some gift cards from a father to his son and even a sympathy card.
While the dollar amount stolen in this case may have been small, it still bothered investigators.
“I asked her if she had any medical conditions, financial issues. She had no reason besides greed. She never teared up once, she never showed remorse," said Detective Marcaida.
Poetzsch was released on bond. Calls and emails to the US Postal Service for comment went unreturned. If you think you may be a victim, contact the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
