Stolen Mail

"...When mail is stolen from a post office, a mail carrier or out of a Dumpster or mail box, people generally don't know they've been victimized. And while break-ins at a postal building or robbery of a carrier are not an everyday occurrence, the effects of the crime can be crippling," writes Lori Consalvo of the Contra Costa Times.

Claremont, Calif. police officer Lt. Mike Ciszek is quoted in the article a saying, "Stolen mail, if taken from a mail box, is sometimes found strewn throughout the neighborhood.. There have been times when police come across stolen mail during traffic stops or vehicle inventory searches."

Postal Inspector Tracy Putnam is also quoted in the article.

Inspector Putnam said, ""Sometimes the burglars throw it away. We have actually pulled it out of dumpsters. But a lot of the time they actually keep the mail and we collect it during search warrants."

Acording to the article, "Police officers have been known to directly deliver lost or stolen mail to the address on the envelopes or packages - if it is in their jurisdiction. They will also contact other law enforcement agencies if the mail made its way to another city. "

If mail is stolen, officials advise that victims pay close attention to their credit reports and even put a fraud alert on their credit.

To read the entire article, click here.