Mail Identity Theft – June 2014

Here is the round up of mail identity theft and mailbox vandalism news from across the United States in June 2014. Remember, to help prevent mail related identity theft:

1. Use a locking mailbox to secure incoming mail
2. Never send sensitive mail from an unsecured mailbox
3. Shred sensitive personal information (most of which comes in the mail) before discarding it

This month, we noticed thieves targeting the blue USPS collection mailboxes more than usual. This serves as a reminder to bring outgoing mail directly to the post office or use online bill pay – it’s more secure.

June 2:

• PULASKI COUNTY, Missouri: KSPR 23 – Vandals destroying mailboxes in Pulaski County: Sheriff says the county roads are target zones

June 3:

• PHOENIX, Arizona: AZ Family.com – Mail collection box stolen in Phoenix; $10K reward offered
• PHOENIX, Arizona: KTAR.com – Post Office: Mail stolen in Phoenix neighborhood

June 6:

• PARIS, Tennessee: Post-Intelligencer – PARIS TN: Mailbox vandalisms probed
• ANDERSON COUNTY, Tennessee: WATE 5 – 1 adult, 2 juveniles suspected in Anderson County mailbox vandalism

June 7:

• PORT ORCHARD, Washington: Port Orchard Independent – Woman charged for stealing mail
• SAN JOSE, California: KTVU.com – Mail thieves in San Jose caught on surveillance camera

June 8:

• ATLANTA, Georgia: WSB TV – Residents not receiving mail because of broken mailbox locks

June 9:

• GREENFIELD, Massachusetts: Daily Journal – 29 mailboxes stolen from Greenfield, Deerfield neighborhoods, tossed onto highway
• GREENFIELD, Massachusetts: ABC 40 – Police Investigating After Nearly 30 Mailboxes Stolen, Destroyed

June 11:

• PARLIER, California: KMPH.com – Thief Steals Mail From Twenty Two Mailboxes

June 12:

• MERCED, California: KMPH 26 – Save Mart Gift Card Theft Ring Busted By Merced Police
• WICHITA, Kansas: KSN.com – Mail thieves strike again in Wichita: By Sorting through the mail, Ginger Hudson is the latest victim of mail theft
• WASHINGTON COUNTY, North Carolina: 5NewsOnline.com – 6 Arrested In Check-Washing Scheme After Mail Nabbed From Mail Boxes

June 13: 

• NORMAN, Oklahoma: News9.com – State Rep. Bobby Cleveland Fears Campaign Checks May Have Been Stolen

June 16:

• WICHITA, Kansas: KWCH 12 – Neighborhood alert after mailbox thieves strike West Wichita
• LONGMONT, Colorado: Times-Call – Longmont police: Mailbox baseball game ends in arrest

June 17:

• FOREST CITY, North Carolina: FoxCarolina.com – Mail stolen in western NC post office break-ins
• DENVER, Colorado: The Denver Post – Man who twice stole from the U.S. Postal Service gets 7-year sentence
• SEDGWICK COUNTY, Kansas: Wichita Eagle – Mail theft, scams on rise, Sheriff’s Office says
• FOREST CITY, North Carolina: ABC 13 – Mail Stolen from Mailboxes
• SAN LEANDRO, California: KTVU.com – Woman arrested after allegedly abandoning stolen car

June 18:

• SEDGWICK COUNTY, Kansas: KWCH 12 – Local authorities investigating more mail thefts
• ATLANTA, Georgia: WSBTV2 – Man chases armed thief for stealing mail

• HALIFAX COUNTY, Virginia: The Gazette-Virginian – Dozens of mailboxes bashed

June 19:

• WEST SEATTLE, Washington: West Seattle Blog – West Seattle Crime Watch: Burglaries; mail theft; stolen car, found
• VISALIA, California: Fresno Bee – Police: Visalia arrest uncovers counterfeit money, stolen mail
• RUTHERFORD COUNTY, North Carolina: ABC 13 – 3 Arrested After Mailbox Break-Ins
• VISALIA, California: ABC 30 – Stolen mailboxes in Visalia help uncover a crime even larger

June 23:

• BAKERSFIELD, California: ABC 23 – Former Bakersfield woman sentenced to prison for theft of mail in Bakersfield, Wasco
• BAKERSFIELD, California: Bakersfield Now – Federal court roundup: Kern defendants guilty of drugs, mail theft and defrauding military
• GALLION, Alabama: Demopolis Times – Reward offered in mailbox vandalism cases
• BAKERSFIELD, California: The Bakersfield Californian – Woman gets four years, nine months in prison for mail theft
• VISALIA, California: Visalia Times-Delta – Visalia man held on mail theft, forgery allegations

June 24:

• SAN ANTONIO, Texas: KSAT.com – Suspect linked to identity theft operation: SAPD: Gus Villarreal, 31, caught with phony drivers licenses
• EL SEGUNDO, California: Daily Breeze – Police log: Beach Cities
• NORTH FULTON COUNTY, Georgia: WSBTV.com – Police investigating mail, identity thefts in Fulton Co.

June 25:

• TUSTIN, California: OC Weekly  – Promising Sobriety, Orange County Mail Thief Learns Punishment
• PLACITAS, New Mexico: Rio Rancho Observer – Placitas man accused of mail theft
• SAN FRANCISCO, California: ABC 7 – Brazen thief steals from apartment mail boxes
• BERKELEY, California: KTVU.com – 2 Investigates: Surveillance videos reveal possible link between front porch thefts

June 26:

• DALLAS, Texas: Dallas News – Was your mail stolen? This list shows mailbox vandalism attempts in Dallas region

June 27:

• GRAND FORKS, North Dakota: KVRR.com – Grand Forks Man Arrested for Mail Theft
• WASHINGTON COUNTY, North Carolina: 5NewsOnline.com – Suspect A No-Show For Court In Mailbox Theft Check-Washing Scheme

• GRAND FORKS, North Dakota: ValleyNewsLive.com – Police Catch Man Stealing Mail in Grand Forks
• MCMINN COUNTY, Tennessee: WRCBtv.com – Detectives looking for mailbox thieves

June 29:

• DALLAS, Texas: Dallas News – The Watchdog: Free-standing postal boxes are easy prey for ID thieves
• GRAFTON, Massachusetts: CBS Boston – Cars, Mailboxes Smashed Up During Vandalism Spree In Grafton

June 30:

• LOWER SAUCON TOWNSHIP, Pennsylvania: WFMZ.com – Police searching for mailbox smashers in Northampton County
• BRIDGEPORT, Connecticut: Fairfield Citizen – Cops: Man swiped checks from mailboxes
• DETROIT, Michigan: MyNews3.com – Rip-Off Alert: Scam artists pilfer mail for ID theft