Public Service Announcement
Mail thefts and tampering
Some residents of Anne Arundel County have recently reported their outgoing mail was stolen from their residential mailboxes. Some of thieves who take the mail are targeting the checks which are sent through outgoing mail, many times for bill payment. The thefts usually occur from mid to late morning hours; the suspects are trying to get to the mail before the US Mail Carriers empty the boxes. The suspects will alter the checks they find by changing the payee line of the check to a person and make the amount higher. Then they will attempt to cash the check at the bank of origin and are at times successful.
Although this type of scheme is not new, it has been observed and investigated by law enforcement for many years, there has been an increase in the number of reported incidents within Anne Arundel County and the surrounding jurisdictions over the past few weeks. These incidents are investigated by local police departments and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Often times, piles of opened mail stolen from victim mailboxes are found on the side of the roadway a short distance from the house. Residents are urged to report any suspicious behavior they observe around mailboxes to the Anne Arundel County Police Department, who are working with United States Postal Inspectors.
In addition, the Anne Arundel County Police Department has seen an increase in theft and tampering with private mailboxes. The United States Postal Inspectors recommend the following tips to lower the chances that you will become a victim:
• Retrieve your mail as soon as possible after it is delivered. Don't leave your mail unattended for extended periods. Don't leave it in your mailbox overnight.
• If you cannot regularly retrieve your mail promptly, consider installing a lockable mailbox or obtaining P.O. Box service from your local post office.
• If you will be away from home temporarily, you can notify your post office to hold your mail with the online hold mail service on the US Postal Service website: https://holdmail.usps.com/holdmail/
• Always deposit your mail in a mail slot at your local post office, or hand it to your letter carrier.
• Monitor your bank account statements regularly, and report any charges or checks you did not authorize.
• Monitor your credit report and report any accounts you did not authorize.
• Ask your bank for “secure” checks that can’t be altered.
• If you believe you are a victim of mail theft or identity theft, contact Postal Inspectors at 877-876-2455 or https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/
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