Is mail theft taken seriously?

Stealing mail that is not addressed to you could result in both misdemeanor and felony charges that could leave you with hefty fines and jail time if convicted .

How do you solve mail theft?

Contact your Local Post Office if you need further assistance. Notify your local police. Place your mail on hold if needed, until you repair or replace your box. Report mail theft by following the instructions under "Report Mail Theft", above. Feb 15, 2024

Does the USPS investigate mail theft?

We Do! As a federal law enforcement organization with almost 250 years of experience, our Inspectors investigate every aspect of mail-related crime --including mail theft, mail fraud, and mail containing dangerous items or substances.

How to prove someone is stealing your mail?

Your post office may ask for tracking numbers, evidence of insurance, and proof of value for the missing item or document . You can file this claim online and provide digital screenshots of the data they request, or file your claim through the mail and include the documents with your submission.

What happens to someone who steals mail?

One obstacle not mentioned in the motto is a mail thief, perhaps because the federal government steps in when someone steals mail. Theft of mail is a federal crime, a felony that could result in prison time, the loss of the right to vote or hold public office, and significant fines .

What are mail thieves looking for?

Mail theft is a crime of opportunity. Thieves are looking for anything of value – such as Economic Impact (stimulus) payments or other checks, EDD/unemployment documents, bank and credit card information . Your personal information is also valuable and can be used to commit identity theft and fraud crimes.

Can you call the police on someone for stealing your mail?

Report all suspected mail theft to your local police and Postal Inspector . Consider starting a neighborhood watch program. By exchanging work and vacation schedules with trusted friends and neighbors, you can watch each other's mailboxes (as well as homes).

Is mail theft a federal crime?

Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

Does USPS pay for stolen mail?

Either the sender or the recipient may file a claim for insured mail that is lost, arrived damaged, or was missing contents . The person filing must have the original mailing receipt. Each claim must be filed within a certain time period and include proof of insurance, value, and damage.

What is it called when someone steals your mail?

There are laws against stealing mail. Under United States Code 18 Section 1708, federal mail theft is a felony. If you are charged with mail theft, you could face up to five years in federal prison and fines of up to $250,000.

What to do if mail is missing?

Find Missing Mail Check the Current Status. Before you begin your search, if your package or mail has tracking, check USPS Tracking ® to see its current status. ... Complete a Help Request Form. ... Submit a Missing Mail Search Request.

Is it a federal offense to go through someone's mailbox?

Mailboxes are considered federal property , protected by rules set by the United States Postal Service. Because of this, only authorized persons (mail carriers and the owner of the property of the mailbox) are legally allowed to place things into and retrieve items from the mailbox.

How often do things get stolen in the mail?

A report from the Government Accountability Office shows that the number of investigations into serious crimes investigated by the service nearly doubled between 2019 and 2023, from 609 cases to 1,198 , an increase driven by a jump in robberies of mail carriers.

Do mail carriers ever steal mail?

The overwhelming majority of USPS employees work conscientiously to deliver the nation's mail. Unfortunately, a small number of employees abuse the public's trust by delaying or stealing the mail . OIG Special Agents work diligently to identify and investigate these crimes.

Mail Theft (2024)

While you should properly address chemical, biological, and radiological threats, mail centers are much more likely to experience problems caused by common crimes such as theft. Security is vital to mail center operations large and small.

See Also

USPS Package Intercept: FAQs

Lack of security can result in theft of supplies, postage, mail, and any valuable information about your company contained in sensitive mail.

To make your mail center secure and to reduce risks and losses, your company should have policies and procedures for the following:

Personnel security.
Access control.
Registered Mail^™ and high-value shipments.
Company funds.
Postage meters.

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Losses are charted by the Postal Inspection Service to identify problem areas and assist Inspectors in tracking down thieves. Report suspected mail losses to Postal Inspectors by calling 877-876-2455 or at www.uspis.gov.

Preventing Theft in your Mail Center
Registered Mail	Keep Registered Mail separate from other mail. Require employees to sign for Registered Mail™ to establish accountability. Use a log to track Certified Mail® and Registered Mail to record the date it’s received, the type of mail, and the Postal Service’s control number. The person receiving the mail must sign and date the log. This provides a reliable tracking system.
Stamp Accountability	Establish adequate controls to identify responsibility for losses that may occur. Never keep postage stamps in unlocked drawers.
Postage Meter Security	Restrict access to postage meters to authorized personnel. Do not allow employees to run personal mail through postage meters as it can result in theft of company funds. You can get an accurate account of postage and its purpose when only authorized employees operate postage meters. Keep your postage meter locked when not in use. Have a trusted employee maintain a record of meter register readings. This helps detect unauthorized, after-hours use of the meter and helps you obtain a refund if your meter malfunctions.
Pettycash	Avoid paying for business reply, postage due, or other postal costs from petty cash. A petty cash drawer can provide a theft opportunity for dishonest mail center employees.
Advance Deposits	Set up an advance-deposit account with your Post Office. Companies that prefer using petty cash can protect themselves against theft by requiring receipts from the Post Office for postage paid and by checking mail to ensure it balances with receipts.
Use of Authorized Depositories	Don’t leave trays or sacks of mail on a curb next to a full collection box. If this is a problem, contact your postmaster to resolve. This could prevent your mail from being lost or stolen.
Outgoing Mail	Periodically compare outgoing mail against customer order lists. This can detect dishonest employees using their name and address for orders shipped to legitimate customers. This is a difficult crime to detect unless someone reviews outgoing mail. When checking outgoing mail, see if employees are using metered postage for personal mail.
Outside Mail Preparation Services	Postal Inspectors have found some mail preparation service staff pocket fees without entering the material into the mail or have grossly overcharged advertisers for postage. Your local Post Office’s Business Mail Entry Unit uses the PS Form 3600 series to maintain a record of bulk mailings. Any questions related to quantity, costs, and the date of a mailing can be verified by contacting this unit.
Incoming Mail	Clearly label depositories used to receive incoming mail and outgoing mail. Use PS Label 33, Report Mail Theft, Tampering, or Vandalism of this Mailbox (see a sample on page 11), available from your local Post Office or the Postal Inspection Service, to alert employees that material in such receptacles is protected by federal law.
Missent Mail	Have a system to handle misdelivered or missent mail. Immediately return all such mail to the Post Office.

Mail Theft (2024)

FAQs

Is mail theft taken seriously? ›

What to do if mail is missing? ›