BRAZOS COUNTY, TX — The Brazos County Sheriff’s Office said they have been receiving an increasing number of mail theft reports. They said that since it is tax season, criminals are going from mailbox to mailbox stealing mail - hoping to get documents containing personal information.
The sheriff's office said these are things you can do to protect yourself from mail theft.
- Promptly pick up your mail. Try not to leave letters and packages in your mailbox or at your door for any length of time.
- Deposit your mail close to the pickup time. Deposit outgoing mail into USPS Blue Collection Boxes before the last collection or inside your local Post Office.
- Inquire about overdue mail. If you do not receive a check, credit card, or other valuable mail you’re expecting, contact the send as soon as possible and inquire about it.
- Don’t send cash. Be careful about what you send. Don’t risk sending cash in the mail.
- Arrange for prompt pickup. If you cannot be home to receive a package, make another arrangement or use the USPS Hold Mail Service.
- Use Hold for Pickup. When shipping packages, use the Hold for Pickup option, and the recipients can collect the package at their local Post Office.
- Purchase a locking mailbox or PO BOX. There are several consumer options for locking mailboxes which will prevent thieves from having easy access to your mail.
If you see suspicious activity, the sheriff's office urges that you report it.