NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – The U.S. Postal Service's Inspector General will investigate a surge in mail theft in Queens, officials said Tuesday, with more than a dozen post offices under review.
U.S. Rep. Grace Meng, who represents a swath of northern Queens, said the Inspector General recently launched the audit after she sounded the alarm on the issue in recent months.
It's the first time ever that a probe of Queens mail security has been conducted, Meng's office said.
The Office of Inspector General, an independent entity in USPS, is tasked with overseeing the integrity and efficiency of the postal system.
The watchdog will assess the actions USPS has taken to mitigate and respond to a spike in mail theft throughout the borough, including schemes by criminal organizations.
"The increase in mail theft continues to plague many local residents here in Queens which is why I’m glad that this audit is now underway," Meng said in a statement Tuesday.
"Hopefully, it will provide answers on how the Postal Service has handled the problem in our borough and whether more can be done to address it," the congresswoman added.
A report with the findings of the investigation is expected in March.
It appears the audit will look at 16 post offices, including in Bayside, Flushing, Elmhurst, Forest Hills, Jackson Heights, Woodside, Maspeth, Oakland Gardens, Rego Park and Fresh Meadows. The exact post offices Meng flagged for review can be found in her letter to USPS Inspector General Tammy Hull.
Meng's office said she's been working since 2022 to get USPS to do more to combat the surge in mail theft in Queens, including sending multiple letters to USPS officials to make them aware of the problem.
"Despite USPS' efforts to update secure locks and relay boxes, mail theft runs rampant," Meng wrote to Hull in October. "Evidently, there remains a larger problem with the mail system in Queens."
After sending one of her letters last July, Meng told WCBS 880's "Newsline with Brigitte Quinn" that her office is "constantly and consistently getting these complaints from all over our district," with hundreds of instances reported.
Meng said the advocacy by her office led to Joint Project Safe Delivery, an initiative focused on reducing letter carrier robberies and mail theft.
Warren Schreiber, president of the Queens Civic Congress, said the audit is an important step, as mail theft can lead to identity theft and financial theft, "compromising personal data and disrupting essential deliveries."
"This crime damages trust in postal services and has long-lasting impacts on victims," Schreiber said. "I thank Congresswoman Meng for her interest in this vital issue and look forward to the audit."