USPS removes outside mailboxes at post office in effort to reduce theft
Have you noticed that the post office no longer has outside dropboxes for mail?
That’s because the United States Postal Service has taken them out in an effort to reduce crime. The boxes were taken out in May and officials with the USPS told WXXV that it was in preparation for new dropboxes to be added.
However, a press release from USPS says the removal of the boxes was made in an effort to reduce mail theft and mail fraud – as well as protect employees.
“As crime rises, so do the threats against our public servants,” said Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer Louis DeJoy. “The men and women of the Postal Service are walking our nation’s streets every day to fulfil our mission of delivering mail and packages to the American people. Every Postal employee deserves to work in safety and to be free from targeting by criminals seeking to access the public’s mail.”
Incidents of letter carrier robberies are on the rise across the nation and the agency reported an increase in mail theft incidents from receptacles including blue collection boxes
The USPS is planning to install 12,000 high security collection boxes nationwide. However, there is no list of where those boxes will be added.
Other tips the USPS offered to help prevent mail theft include:
- Don’t let mail sit in your mailbox.
- Deposit outgoing mail through secure manners such as at the post office, your place of business, or directly to a mail carrier
- Sign up for Informed Delivery
- Join you neighborhood watch
- Watch out for your carrier. If you see something suspicious, call 911
