Mail Theft in Arlington, WA

KING 5 Reports, “‘Tis the season for mail theft”

In early December, KING 5 news ran a story warning this is one of the busiest times of the year for mail thieves. The story is reprinted below:

ARLINGTON, Washington – With two weeks left to mail out Christmas cards and packages, this is one of the busiest times of the year for mail thieves.

Crooks are targeting mailboxes, especially those without a lock and key, filled with gifts and money.

It took months before Arlington business owner Robin Gudgel realized he’d been robbed. Someone hit his mailbox.

“$10,000 in checks. That hurts a small business,” said Gudgel.

He did get some good news. Police just arrested the man they believe stole his mail.

“During the holidays, we see an increase in mail theft and increase in packages off porches and the like,” said Sgt. Robert Goetz, Everett Police. “If it’s stolen, you can become a victim of identity theft, use whatever information to commit further crimes.”

If you’re planning to send a gift through the mail, experts say mail a gift card. That way, all you lose is the money, not any personal information.

Another piece of advice is to take packages off your doorstep as soon as possible or have someone, like a neighbor, grab it for you. Make sure you follow up on it.

How do you stop mail identity theft from happening to you?

To prevent mail identity theft, you need to take precautions:

1. Use a security locking mailbox to protect your sensitive incoming mail.
2. Use a secure USPS blue box to send outgoing mail.

The Mail Boss is the best defense against the epidemic of mail identity theft. The Mail Boss features a patented locking system to prevent leveraged entry and makes the MailBoss locking mailbox virtually theft proof.

For residents in Arlington, Washington concerned about mail theft, there are several local hardware stores near you that offer the Mail Boss locking security mailbox. From our store locator: