State Rep. Bobby Cleveland Fears Campaign Checks May Have Been Stolen

A state representative running for re-election wonders if he's the victim of a campaign crime. State Rep. Bobby Cleveland (R-Slaughterville) had his entire mailbox stolen with possible campaign donations inside.

"Oh, couldn't believe it, couldn't believe it was gone," said Cleveland.

Cleveland had a giant mailbox in the shape of a golf ball outside his business for nearly 30 years along Classen Blvd. in Norman.

"It's a landmark in this district around here and on this street, everybody knows it," said Cleveland. "If I'm ever telling someone how to get here, I just say look for the golf ball mailbox. It has dimples in it and looks like you can go up and hit it."

Cleveland noticed it was gone Tuesday morning and said he never got to get Monday's mail out of it. The Norman Republican is running for re-election and said the timing of the theft is curious.

"I'm having a fundraiser, so I sent out a lot of letters on a fundraiser so I'm getting two to three checks a day for the last week's been coming in," said Cleveland.

Cleveland said he thinks there may have been campaign contribution checks in the stolen mailbox.

"It's just kind of ironic that all of a sudden we're getting these checks in there and we're missing our mailbox," Cleveland told News 9.

He estimated that the unique letter drop will cost $400 to replace. He said he is not sure if someone is trying to sabotage his campaign, but not knowing is driving him crazy.

"The mailbox is kind of sentimental to me because that was the first one that the guy made and I had it so long, but the mail that you don't have now - you don't know what you're missing," Cleveland added.

Cleveland said he filed a police report, a sheriff's office report and a report with the postal inspector.

If you know anything about the stolen mailbox, call Norman Police.