A suspect is in custody for allegedly burning 20 electoral ballots that were inside a mailbox in Phoenix, Arizona, on Thursday morning, the city’s mayor and police said.
Dieter Klofkorn, 35, is accused of igniting a fire in a mailbox at a U.S. Postal Office in the area of 7th Avenue and Indian School Road around 1 a.m., Phoenix police said in a news release.
The Phoenix Fire Department’s Arson Investigation Taskforce was contacted and assumed the investigation, according to police. The scene was processed, including finding nearby surveillance footage.
Phoenix Fire Capt. Rob McDade confirmed to NBC News and AZFamily that 20 electoral ballots were damaged, along with additional mail.
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego voiced her concern about this crime on X, saying: “I am concerned about the recent incident at one of our post offices involving damage to several ballots.”
Klofkorn admitted to burning ballots, said actions were not politically motivated
In a follow-up X post on Thursday , Gallego announced the arrest of a suspect.