Anyone who still believes the postal service provides an inviolate means to deliver our mail to its intended destination should be disabused of that notion by now.
Especially at this time of year, thieves will be on the lookout for that check sent to your utility provider or favorite aunt.
That’s been reinforced by a few recent examples of why you should think twice before using your neighborhood mailbox.
A pursuit and arrest early Monday morning led Newton police to an unexpected haul — 1,000 pieces of stolen mail in the hands of two suspects, the department disclosed on Facebook.
MassLive reported that Newton police were notified by their Wellesley counterparts about a vehicle heading in Newton’s direction after the car was identified as being involved with mail theft.
Wellesley police began following a red BMW convertible at about 2 a.m. Monday because it was wanted in a “fishing heist” at multiple USPS mailboxes in town.
The pursuit was called off but then restarted in Newton, where police say the suspects sped off during an attempted traffic stop on Hammond Pond Parkway; it ended when the car crashed on Newton Street in Brookline.
Two men tried to flee from the scene, leading to a short foot chase, police said. The suspects, both 22, were arrested, but when police returned to the car, they found “a trunk full of mail.”
Yasser Teixeira Mendonca of New York and Dahshein Karon Perry of Massachusetts were charged with receiving stolen property and failure to stop for police; they were arraigned later on Monday, police said.
Police have previously warned about the mailbox fishing scheme in the area, in which thieves target the blue USPS drop boxes. They say criminals use homemade devices to “fish” mail out of the box. They’re after checks, which they can “wash” clean and then change the name and amount of money on the check.
This incident mirrors a similar scenario reported by MassLive back in February.
At that time officials in Weston and Arlington said suspects robbed United States Postal Service mailboxes on a Sunday night and made off with outgoing mail.
These brazen postal thieves didn’t prey on mail boxes in some isolated location, which underscores the lengths some will go to loot USPS property – and the booty it contains.
The Weston Police Department said in a Facebook statement that the mailbox right outside the Post Office was robbed. Officers quickly spotted the suspects’ car, the department said, but the driver took off at high speeds, making it unsafe for police to pursue.
Sometime later, the same vehicle arrived at another town’s main Post Office, this time in Arlington. Weston police said the same suspects broke into the outdoor mailbox and sped away as Arlington officers arrived.
Arlington Police Chief Julie Flaherty advised anyone who mailed a check over that weekend at the Court Street post office to cancel the check and notify their bank.
Weston police issued a similar warning. “Assume that (checks) have been stolen and will likely be altered and result in a forgery against your account,” the department said.
Following the robberies, police in both towns said mail thefts have been an ongoing problem in the region.
Law enforcement indicated that multiple mailboxes were targeted in Needham last December.
In January, a mail carrier in Peabody was robbed at gunpoint in broad daylight. The suspect stole the mail carrier’s keys used to access a mail drop box, police said.
Acutely aware that this type of thievery has been on the rise nationwide, the United States Postal Service has urged customers to avoid using those blue drop boxes on Sundays and federal holidays.
Instead, the USPS advises people to utilize more secure locations, like post offices or in-the-wall mail slots.
Postal officials believe thieves use the Internet to strategically target drop-off boxes, by monitoring collection times and then breaking into them after the last pick-up of the day, or on Sundays and holidays, when there are no mail pick-ups.
Besides telling people to utilize in-person transactions to ensure their mail is securely handled, USPS advises customers to sign up for Informed Delivery. With this service, customers, after verifying their identity, can set up tracking notifications, reminders for scheduling, and digital signature authorization for delivered mail and packages.
Aside from the USPS’ precautions, we urge using common-sense steps to avoid the likelihood of mail theft.
If using a drop box, make certain your mail won’t sit there overnight or all weekend. Be aware of pick-up schedules to ensure that doesn’t occur.
During the holidays, the volume of checks or gift cards sent through the mail significantly increases.
Thieves know that, too.
So, take all the necessary precautions to avoid being just another mail-fishing statistic.
