Rep. Ivette D. Clarke says mail theft is on the rise, and many of her constituents are falling victim. Clarke says over the past four years her office has recorded 140 cases of mail and check theft.

One woman who wanted to remain anonymous tells News 12 she was expecting a 2022 refund check worth more than $6,000, but it never came.

She says the IRS confirmed the check was cashed, but the information used does not match hers.

The United States Postal Services says it is working with other agencies and using new technology to help crack down on thieves.

It encourages anyone who believes they are a victim of mail theft to contact police and postal inspectors at 877-876-2455.

The USPIS Public Affairs Team released the following statement:

The Postal Inspection Service takes matters involving mail theft and the well-being of postal service employees as their top priorities. We are working diligently with our local law enforcement partners on reports of mail thefts. To protect the integrity of any current mail theft investigation, we cannot provide further details at this time. If you see a mail thief at work, or if you believe your mail was stolen, call the police immediately, then call Postal Inspectors at 877-876-2455. USPIS can also be contacted via Twitter, @PostalInspector. I have also attached a flyer, with pointers, on what residents can do to protect themselves from thieves.

Project Safe Delivery is a joint initiative aimed at countering postal crime and safeguarding postal employees. Combating mail theft and violent crimes targeting Postal Service employees is of the highest priority for the Postal Service and the Postal Inspection Service. The initiative was announced in May 2023, in direct response to combat the recent rise in threats and attacks on letter carriers and mail theft incidents by protecting postal employees and the security of the nation’s mail. Project Safe Delivery initiative in May steps have been taken to protect the mail stream and our employees, thousands of blue collection boxes have been replaced with a new high-security blue collection box. Tens of thousands of antiquated arrow locks have been replaced with electronic mechanisms, with more to come. These updated mechanisms have an electronic component, that thieves will be unable to duplicate, like a two-factor authentication. This removes the very thing criminals are seeking in robberies of our letter carrier, their postal keys. From May 2023 through September 2024, the Inspection Service has made 2,034 arrests for postal robberies and mail theft across the nation.

Some of the Enhancements implemented to Combat Mail Theft and Violence Crimes Targeting USPS Employees

1. Enhance Delivery Security

2. Advance Intelligence-Led Investigations

3. Deploy Communications and Increase Prevention Awareness

4. Invest in Tools, Technology, and Data Analytics

5. Deploy Advanced Training

As the law enforcement arm of the Postal Service, the Postal Inspection Service leads the Postal Service’s efforts to protect all postal employees, including letter carriers, and ensure the secure delivery of mail to the American public. Enhancing delivery security is crucial to stopping mail thieves and preventing associated postal crimes, such as robberies of letter carriers. Three key components of this effort are deploying more secure mail receptacles, installing better locking mechanisms, and implementing increased security and accountability for collection box access. The Postal Inspection Service collaborated with the Postal Service on the design of a new delivery vehicle that integrates enhanced security components, which will be deployed in the near future. The Postal Inspection Service will collaborate with DOJ to target and prioritize investigations of criminal organizations, especially those that commit gun violence and other violent acts against letter carriers, in alignment with DOJ’s FY 2022-FY 2026 Strategic Plan. In addition, Inspectors have been providing USPS employees with preventative measures on how to combat mail theft and from becoming a victim in a violent crime.

For more on Project Safe Delivery please visit: Project Safe Delivery – United States Postal Inspection Service (uspis.gov)