A "large amount" of mail that authorities believe was taken from mailboxes in an Oconee subdivision sometime near the end of last week was found scattered around the parking lot of BankSouth Sunday.

Employees filed a report with the Oconee County Sheriff's Office in the late afternoon, Chief Deputy Lee Weems said.   All of the mail was addressed to homes in the Crystal Hills community and some of it had been opened, he explained, noting that mail theft is a federal crime.

Weems said US postal inspectors gave permission for deputies to deliver the found mail to the intended recipients.

"[US Post Office officials] are asking that if any citizen has any items that they can say are definitely stolen -- packages or credit cards that haven't arrived-- or any form of identity fraud that stems from this, please go to the postal inspectors' webpage or call [1-877-876-2455]."

Video surveillance was checked but investigators were unable to develop a lead from the footage, Weems said. And because multiple individuals had handled the mail, fingerprinting would present many challenges.

"We do ask that if anyone sees people that aren't readily identifiable as postal workers at their mailboxes, please call 911 immediately," Weems said.  "We need the public's help in watching for this."