FedEx driver questioned about hundreds of packages in woods

HAYDEN, Ala. (AP) — The recent discovery of hundreds of packages in a wooded area in Alabama have led authorities to question a FedEx driver, a sheriff said Monday.

As many as 400 packages of varying sizes were found in a ravine last week about 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of Birmingham, authorities said. The discovery was made on private property near the small town of Hayden in Blount County, Sheriff Mark Moon said.

The county sheriff said in a statement on the department's Facebook page that investigators had spoken with security personnel from the Memphis, Tennessee-based company and have identified a driver.

The driver's name wasn't released, and Moon did not indicate whether any charges were possible.

The company said in a statement that the person involved was no longer providing service for FedEx Ground and added it was cooperating with law enforcement on its investigation.

“The security of our customers’ shipments is a top priority and we are committed to treating our customers’ packages with the utmost care,″ FedEx said, adding that it would deliver recovered packages wherever possible and seek resolution for any damaged shipments.

Following the discovery, deputies guarded the site, and FedEx sent multiple trucks and drivers from across the South to take away the packages, according to the sheriff.

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This story has been corrected to remove reference to Birmingham being the state’s most populous city.