June 30, 2006

Residents say awareness could help mitigate identity theft

Increased incidence of mail theft leaves some in Evergreen reeling for solutions

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Evergreen residents near Ashridge Lane report that incidences of mail theft have increased and that criminals' methods have become more reckless, following two nights of mayhem during the first week in June.

Victims said that in both cases, mail left overnight was removed from curbside boxes by what they suspect were assailants hanging from car windows, while creeping box to box in the dark, as means of escape in the event of confrontation.

"We've periodically had problems with people stealing mail from our mailbox since we moved in—most notably small packages," said Evergreen area resident Deb Adair. "More recently, someone has been going around to mailboxes at night, removing any mail that's been left in the box, and leaving the boxes open. Unlike past incidents, when just selected items went missing, the thieves are taking everything they find out of a growing number of mailboxes."

Homeowners say they are very concerned about the potential consequences associated with mail theft, and for their physical safety, if they were ever to find themselves face to face with a criminal.

"I think we are frustrated and a little creeped out that someone out there is sorting through our mail and now knows who we do our business with, how much we owe, etc," said Adair. "They could know everything from my recently deceased pet's name and the fact that I have a family out of state to what our monthly mortgage payment is."

In addition to the inconvenience and the direct loss of personal items, the greater threat of identity theft is a realistic risk associated with mail theft. Affected residents intend to develop some method to thwart those types of crimes before they become more serious.

Making matters worse, residents report difficulty in summoning support from local law enforcement authorities, or, in any way, determining who to call.

"Mail fraud is a federal crime and the SJPD responded that they were unable to accept a report," said Adair. "I suppose they will only get involved if someone succeeds in using the information to commit identity theft or some other crime."

While the San Jose Police department may have failed in its initial response to Adair’s personal grievance, Postal Inspector Jeff Fitch said that the best thing to do when dealing with the crime is indeed report it to the police, as well as the Postal Inspector, which enforces federal law in the matter.

“We are the law enforcement arm that carries guns and makes arrests when crimes of this nature are committed,” said Fitch. “The real key is notifying us as soon as possible, and, at times, patience. Some of these cases or investigations will take time because when information is stolen from the mail box, it will take time for any transactions to show up.”

Fitch said that mail theft is prohibited by federal law - above state ordinance - and that the maximum penalty is five years of incarceration served in a federal prison and up to $200,000 owed in fine money when convicted of the crime.

In some cases, the state may also raise possession of stolen property charges against mail theft criminals.

“There is a standing $10,000 reward for information contributed that leads to the arrest and conviction of individuals involved with mail theft,” said Fitch. “Make sure both the police department and postal workers are aware of what’s going on in your neighborhood. Those phone numbers get answered after hours and on weekends.”

Adair, however, said she went as far as filing a report with the Postal Inspector, but was dissatisfied when she received an automated response and no follow-up consideration pertaining to her grievance.

"Do not leave your mail in your mail box long, and especially not overnight," she said. "Don't use curbside mailboxes for outgoing mail. If you are victimized, you'll need to keep an eye on your credit report and probably should put a fraud alert on your credit report."

Websites such as www.consumer.gov/mailtheft offer additional advice, such as routing important documents to a secure location such as a P.O. Box or locked mailbox.

"Requesting your name to be removed from junk mail lists would also be a wise idea," added Adair. "That way there won't be as many unsolicited credit offers waiting to be stolen."

The Evergreen area Postal Inspector can be reached at (408) 938-4802