Mail, Identities Stolen in Feb 2012

Alright, here it is: a list of the mail-identity theft news stories across the nation for the past month. There are over 80 of them, and these are just the incidents being picked up by news agencies! So, we’re going to pass on summarizing these articles for you, but feel free to click through and have a look-see. You will notice some trends:

If you have an unlocked mailbox, you’re vulnerable to identity theft. If you send checks in the mail, someone is going to steal them eventually. If meth is a problem in your area, mail theft is too. To protect yourself, use a locking mailbox!

Feb. 1, 2012

• St. George, UTAH: The Spectrum – Fight to prevent ID theft
• Milford, CONNECTICUT: UnionLeader.com – Stolen and forged checks on the rise
• Augusta, KANSAS: Augusta Gazette – Recent mail thefts being reported in South Central Kansas
• Jacksonville, TEXAS: Daily Progress – Vandals knock over more than 40 mailboxes, street signs
• Chicago, ILLINOIS: EveryBlock Chicago – Mailbox Theft in Edgewater near Devon

Feb. 2, 2012

• Mount Pleasant, NEW YORK: The Daily Mount Pleasant – Police Reports: Mailbox Prank
• Fulton, KENTUCKY: WPSD 6 – Identity stolen, mail stopped
• Jacksonville, TEXAS: KETK – Vandals destroy Jacksonville mailboxes… homeowners fight back

Feb. 3, 2012

• Darien, ILLINOIS: TribLocal.com – Stolen mailbox and more
• Cherokee County, TEXAS: KETK – ‘Mailbox Massacre’ Part 2: Cherokee County Road 4608

Feb. 4, 2012

• Bemidji, MINNESOTA: Bemidji Pioneer – Police Blotter: Mail stolen

Feb. 5, 2012

• Bucks County, PENNSYLVANIA: PhillyBurbs.com – Trouble Shooter: dealing with identity theft

Feb. 6, 2012

• Los Gatos, CALIFORNIA: Los Gatos Patch – Los Gatos Police Blotter, Jan. 8-16
• Houston, TEXAS: ABC 13 – Falling victim to ID theft during tax season
• Briarcliff Manor, NEW YORK: The Daily Briarcliff – Dozens of Mailboxes Damaged in Briarcliff Manor

Feb. 7, 2012

• San Jose, CALIFORNIA: ABC 7 – Mail theft causes one San Jose woman to lose $500
• Ft. Lauderdale, FLORIDA: Sun-Sentinel – Don’t put outgoing mail in receptacles in the evening
• Colorado Springs, COLORADO: KKTV 11 – Former Dog Trainer Now Accused in ID Theft Ring
• Denver, COLORADO: Action 9 – Woman gets her entire block’s mail for the 4th time
• Monrovia, CALIFORNIA: Monrovia Patch – Police Blotter
• Sammamish, WASHINGTON: Sammamish Review – Police Blotter
• Fountain, COLORADO: KRDO 13 – Neighbor Helps Catch Mail Thief In Fountain
• Downers Grove, ILLINOIS: Downers Grove Patch – Numerous Mailboxes Damaged on February 2
• Albany, OREGON: Democrat Herald – Public safety log (Feb. 7)

Feb. 8, 2012

• Omaha, NEBRASKA: KETV 7 – Check Fraud Scheme Starts With Mailbox Thefts
• Omaha, NEBRASKA: FOX 42 – Woman Sentenced for Stealing Checks in the Mail
• Ft. Lauderdale, FLORIDA: Sun-Sentinel – Don’t put outgoing mail in receptacles in the evening

Feb. 9, 2012

• Washington, DISTRICT of COLUMBIA: WTOP 103.5 – Stolen checks
• Columbia, SOUTH CAROLINA: FOX 21 – Abbeville man gets 6 months for swiping mail
• Anderson, SOUTH CAROLINA: WSPA 7 – Upstate Mail Thief Headed To Prison

Feb. 10, 2012

•  Spartanburg, SOUTH CAROLINA: GoUpstate.com – Teresa Miner Grell of Spartanburg sentenced to 15 months in prison for identity theft
• Briarcliff Manor, NEW YORK: Briarcliff Patch – Briarcliff Manor Police Blotter: Mailboxes Damaged
• Holland Township, NEW JERSEY: Hunterdon County Democrat – Mailboxes damaged in Holland Township, police report
• San Francisco, CALIFORNIA: ABC 7 – Citibank mailer mistake causes fraud concern
• Staten Island, NEW YORK: SILive.com – Mailbox stolen from outside Staten Island Rep. Michael Grimm’s home

 Portland, OREGON: The Oregonian – Portland police find pile of stolen mail and counterfeit checks after traffic stop

Feb. 11, 2012

• Sacramento, CALIFORNIA: The Record – Woman sentenced to 2 years for identity theft
• Murrayville, ILLINOIS: Journal Courier – Millions of identities stolen each year
• East Brookfield, MASSACHUSETTS: Worcester Telegram & Gazette – Rutland woman charged with credit card theft

Feb. 13, 2012

• Mendota Heights, MINNESOTA: Mendota Heights Patch – Mendota Heights PD Blotter
• Sacramento, CALIFORNIA: ABC 10 – Roseville ringleader in mail theft scheme sentenced
• Roseville, CALIFORNIA: Roseville Patch – Roseville Man Sentenced for Mail Theft, Bank Fraud
• Redmond, WASHINGTON: Redmond Patch – Weekend Police Blotter
• NW Guilford County, NORTH CAROLINA: Northwest Observer – Neighborhood sees mailbox bashing

Feb. 14, 2012

• Briarcliff Manor, NEW YORK: The Daily Briarcliff – Police: Mailbox Spree Continues in Briarcliff
• Enumclaw, WASHINGTON: Enumclaw Patch – Mail Theft in Monday’s Police Blotter

Feb. 15, 2012

• Seaside, OREGON: Seaside Signal – Police seek public’s help in nabbing mail theft suspect or suspects
• Brush Prairie, WASHINGTON: KOIN 6 – Thieves go through mailboxes in Brush Prairie neighborhood
• Reno, NEVADA: 2 NEWS – Woman Suspected of Multiple Fraud Acts Arrested

Feb. 16, 2012

• Rocky River, OHIO: Sun News – Rocky River Police Blotter
• Kilgore, TEXAS: KYTX 19 – Kilgore police searching for two suspects in forgery investigation
• Larimer County, COLORADO: Estes Park Trail-Gazette – Losing your identity: Not if, but when — I.D. Thefts in Larimer County

Feb. 17, 2012

• Bellingham, WASHINGTON: The News Tribune – Bellingham woman sentenced to prison for using stolen credit cards

Feb. 18, 2012

• Simi Valley, CALIFORNIA: Ventura County Star – Simi Valley transient accused of identity theft, fraud

Feb. 19, 2012

• Richmond, KENTUCKY: The Richmond Register – Two indicted on meth making charges

Feb. 20, 2012

• New Bern, NORTH CAROLINA: WCTI 12 – Patient Allegedly Steals Neighborhood Mail

Feb. 21, 2012

• Hawkins, TEXAS: Longview News-Journal – Hawkins woman enter guilty plea on drug, stolen mail charges
• Tamarac, FLORIDA: South Florida Sun-Sentinel – Mail thieves target Florida condos, apartments
• Tyler, TEXAS: Star-Telegram – East Texas woman guilty in drugs, stolen mail case
• Sacramento, CALIFORNIA: Sacramento Bee – Sacramento man headed to prison for identity theft
• Pinole, CALIFORNIA: Pinole Patch – Police Log
• Fresno, CALIFORNIA: Central Valley  Business Times – Fresno mail thief pleads guilty
• Scottsdale, ARIZONA: My FOX Phoenix – 4 Accused of Identity Theft, Fraud, Forgery

Feb. 22, 2012

• Roseville, CALIFORNIA: Roseville Patch – Crime Watch: Mail Thefts
• Houston, TEXAS: Click 2 Houston – Identity, mail theft suspect wanted: Thief responsible for crimes in more than half-dozen Texas cities

Feb. 23, 2012

• York County, SOUTH CAROLINA: The Herald – York man reports stolen mailbox
• Corpus Christi, TEXAS: KRIS 6 – Postal Worker Helps Catch Mail Theft Suspects
• Kilgore, TEXAS: KETK – Mail thefts becoming a problem in Kilgore
• Arlington, MASSACHUSETTS: Arlington Patch – Police Log: Mail Problems
• Memphis, TENNESSEE: WMCTV – Identity thieves explain how they commit crimes

Feb. 24, 2012

• Corpus Christi, TEXAS: KRIS 6 – Mail Theft Suspects Identified
• Portsmouth, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Seacoastonline.com – Police say man stole mail from Middle Street residents

Feb. 25, 2012

• Portsmouth, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Seacoastonline.com – Man arrested after allegedly stealing mail in Portsmouth

Feb. 26, 2012

• Trenton, MICHIGAN: Trenton Patch – Police Blotter: Woman Reports Items Stolen Out of Her Mailbox

Feb. 27, 2012

• Highland, CALIFORNIA: The Sun – Three arrested on suspicion of stealing mail
• East Greenwich, RHODE ISLAND: East Greenwich Patch – Police & Fire

Feb. 28, 2012

• San Antonio, TEXAS: KSAT 12 – Man cashed checks stolen from mailboxes: Carlos Reyes charged with forgery
• Lakewood, NEW YORK: The Yeshiva World News – EXCLUSIVE: Lakewood Mail Fraud Arrest May Be Connected To Massive Mail Fraud At NYC-Area Shuls
• Houston, TEXAS: Click2Houston – Investigators searching for mail thief: Man steals mail, identities
• Phoenix, ARIZONA: CBS 5 – Kingman mail thief

Feb. 29, 2012

• Shoreline, WASHINGTON: Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Patch – Shoreline Police Blotter
• Roanoke County, VIRGINIA: WSLS 10 – Roanoke County Police investigate checks stolen from business mailboxes
• Yreka, CALIFORNIA: Siskiyou Daily News – Jail time for burglars

Remember: Mail theft is one of the easiest and most common ways thieves obtain your sensitive personal information for identity theft. If you have an unlocked mailbox, you are vulnerable and you may not ever realize when your bank statements, credit card offers, etc. are taken. Not surprisingly, most identity theft victims don’t even know how their information was stolen!!! Criminals find it far easier to pilfer from your curbside mailbox than sort through heaps of garbage looking for bits of info. To protect yourself, everyone recommends shredding personal documents. Yes, that is important… but most of what you shred comes in your mailbox! Use a secure locked mailbox like Mail Boss to protect yourself from the fastest growing crime of identity theft.