The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office warns residents to avoid using blue post office mailboxes due to a series of recent mail thefts.
The sheriff’s office says they are investigating a number of mailbox thefts they believe to be committed by several groups of people. They say the thieves are using stolen post office keys to open the blue mail collection boxes commonly seen outside post offices and at other locations throughout the community.
The Sheriff's Office is asking residents to stop using the blue collection boxes at this time. Several people were arrested in connection to the thefts and the sheriff's office expects more arrests to come.
“When you steal mail from a collection box, you are violating the trust people have in the U.S. Postal Service,” said Scott Fix, Inspector in Charge of the Houston Division of the USPIS. “Postal Inspectors proudly work with our local law enforcement partners such as the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office to aggressively investigate and arrest anyone who disregards that trust. The Inspection Service will work tirelessly to maintain the safety and security of the U.S. Mail.”
The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office also warns the mailbox thefts have notable increased the number of fraudulent check schemes.
If anyone believes their mail has been stolen or has any information about mail theft activity, they are encouraged to report it to Postal Inspectors by calling 877-876-2455 or visiting www.uspis.gov/report.
