A disturbing trend has emerged over the past couple of weeks in which arsonists have set fire to ballot drop boxes across multiple states.

One example in Phoenix, Arizona late last month brought a swarm of law enforcement officers along with the arrest of a suspect.

Twenty ballots were damaged along with other pieces of mail

According to Phoenix's ABC 15, a number of mailed-in ballots were damaged when a United States Postal Service (USPS) mailbox was set on fire.

The blaze began around 1:30 a.m. on October 24 at the USPS Osborn Station located near 7th Avenue and Indian School Road.

"Approximately 20 electoral ballots were damaged, along with additional miscellaneous mail," the Phoenix Fire Department was quoted as saying in a statement.

A USPS spokesperson and a postal inspector provided a joint statement to the television station as well which stressed that arson attacks on mail boxes are "rare" and do "not happen often."

Arsonists will face "the full investigative strength of the federal government"

"Postal Inspectors are working with the local election commission to ensure any affected election mail is remedied and that other mail is routed to the appropriate parties," the statement explained.

"If you believe your mail-in ballot may have been impacted by this incident, please contact your local election office to confirm receipt and identify options for tracking your ballot," it added.

"The Inspection Service takes all reports of election offenses involving the U.S. Mail very seriously. Postal Inspectors are immediately reviewing and addressing all complaints of impacted political or election mail," the statement continued.

It further warned that "the full investigative strength of the federal government will be directed toward" those who steal or tamper with election-related mail.

"This 'zero tolerance' approach ensures that American citizens can vote with the confidence that their mail and the election, two of America’s most trusted institutions, are free from criminal disruption," it went on to conclude.

Phoenix mayor announces that a suspect has been taken into custody

For her part, Phoenix Democratic Mayor Kate Gallego later announced via a social media post that an individual had been taken into custody.

Thanks to swift action by @PhoenixPolice, @PHXFire and federal partners, we have arrested the suspect involved in this incident. https://t.co/DRkqz06All

— Mayor Kate Gallego (@MayorGallego) October 24, 2024

"Thanks to swift action by [Phoenix Police], [Phoenix Fire Department] and federal partners, we have arrested the suspect involved in this incident," the mayor declared.