Mail theft is a growing problem in Sonoma County. Here’s how to protect yourself

It’s become a familiar experience.

A package is supposedly delivered, but it isn’t at the door.

A piece of expected mail never shows.

Dealing with the fallout of stolen deliveries can be, at a minimum, a hassle ― or be downright ugly when checks and benefit payments are intercepted, or lifted information is used for identity theft scams.

Mail theft isn’t new, but it’s been a persistent problem.

And here in the North Bay, that problem is growing.

“We’ve been seeing these last couple years an uptick in mail theft. It’s affecting North Bay, affecting Mendocino, Sonoma counties. We're seeing it Bay Area-wide and statewide,” said Jeff Fitch, a postal inspector with the Postal Inspection Service, the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Postal Service.

It’s not uncommon for thieves to go after unattended packages or unlocked mailboxes.

A more involved approach is to access mail using stolen or counterfeit postal keys that can be used to unlock a bank of boxes at apartment complexes, for example, as a reader who reached out to me experienced recently.

It’s been an issue locally.

“We’ve been seeing that,” Fitch said. “In the North Bay Area, we've had individuals who've been using counterfeit postal keys.”

There’s been a number of local investigations to target this type of theft, though details don’t usually come out until arrests are made or court cases are filed.

While any mail theft is a federal crime, carrying a possible penalty of up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines, possession of stolen or counterfeit mail keys comes with additional potential felony charges and time behind bars.

Still, efforts to crack down look like an uphill battle to many who see no recourse when mail goes missing.

“We understand the frustration of the victims because of the ease in which some of these individuals or groups are able to do follow-up fraud and other crimes and the difficulty that the victims have trying to undo credit card charges or straighten out where bank accounts have been compromised,” Fitch said.

The U.S. Postal Service delivers almost 130 billion pieces of mail yearly. Problematic data collection has prevented a true understanding of the breadth of mail theft, but there are some trends, according to experts.

Americans have increasingly relied on delivery for everything from basic necessities to luxury goods, a habit that skyrocketed thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moreover, despite a general decline in the use of checks, stimulus checks designed to help those struggling with hardship during a tough few years, have also been a draw for mail thieves and more organized crime rings.

A February alert by the U.S.Treasury’s Financial Crime Enforcement Network warned of an increase in check fraud via USPS mail, from personal and business checks to tax refunds and government assistance.

Between March 2020 and February 2021, the Postal Inspection Service received a 161% bump in mail theft complaints compared to the same period the year before. Financial institutions’ reports of potential check fraud in 2022 doubled the prior year’s.

Recently, in the Bay Area, robberies of postal workers directly have reportedly increased, though Fitch said it hasn’t been an issue in the same way farther north.

Across the board, “the real key to mail theft investigations is the reporting,” he told me. “That makes a huge difference.”

Victims can call 877-876-2455 or file a complaint with the agency online at www.uspis.gov/report.

Just as important as reporting an initial theft is reporting any consequences, like credit card charges or identity fraud that happen as a result. If there’s a possibility for financial fraud, contact your bank right away to preemptively flag any future issue.

Here are additional tips to protect against mail theft:

• Try to check for mail daily and keep an eye on tracking for packages so you can pick them up as soon as possible.

• If you notice damage to your mailbox, like dents or broken locks, report it to your mail carrier or local post office.

• If valuable mail, like a check or credit card, doesn’t arrive in a reasonable time, contact the sender about its status.

• Avoid sending cash when possible because it’s harder to track and recoup. For those who still use checks, when writing out the amount, make sure to fill out the entire line with letters or a pen stroke.

• If you’re planning to be away, take advantage of USPS’ hold mail service. The local post office can hold your mail for up to 30 days. Short-term forwarding of mail to another address, from 15 days up to a year, is also a possibility.

• For important deliveries, senders can request signature confirmation upon receipt or specify a package be held at the local post office for pickup.

• USPS also has a free “informed delivery” service (informeddelivery.usps.com) available in most locations, which provides participants digitally with images of incoming mail and packages.

“In Your Corner” is a column that puts watchdog reporting to work for the community. If you have a concern, a tip, or a hunch, you can reach “In Your Corner” Columnist Marisa Endicott at 707-521-5470 or marisa.endicott@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @InYourCornerTPD and Facebook @InYourCornerTPD.