VISTA, CA — Vista residents should be aware of increased mail theft activity and take precautions to protect themselves and their valuable mail, according to Vista postmaster Gary Spizzirri.

“Thieves steal mail from postal trucks, collection boxes, apartment mailbox panels, and neighborhood delivery and collection box units. They want your checks, cash, your credit card applications, and your bank account statements,” said Spizzirri. The U.S. Postal Inspectors who investigate mail thefts, report arresting over 6,000 theft suspects last year alone.

“It’s important to differentiate between mail theft and I.D. theft,” Spizzirri continued. “Mail thieves are most often looking for valuables that they can convert or trade for cash. I.D. theft rarely involves the mail. The Federal Trade Commission says that only about 4 percent of I.D. theft is related to mail theft,” he said.

There are some tips residents should be aware of to minimize exposure to mail thieves.

• Use the letter slots at your post office to mail letters, or give them to a letter carrier.
• Deposit mail in blue collection boxes before the last pick up time that appears on the schedule posted on each box.
• Promptly remove mail from your mailbox after delivery, especially if you're expecting checks, credit cards, or other negotiable items. If you won't be home when the items are expected, ask a trusted friend or neighbor to pick up your mail. Don’t leave it in your mailbox overnight.
• Don’t send cash in the mail.
• Ask your bank for “secure” checks that can’t be altered.
• If you will be away from home for more than three days, ask the Post Office to hold your mail until you return. You can initiate a mail hold at the Post Office or online at USPS.com.

If you believe your mail was stolen, report it immediately to your local postmaster or a Postal Inspector. Postal Inspectors may determine whether your problem is isolated or part of a larger mail theft problem in your neighborhood--and it may help them locate and apprehend the thieves.

You can file a mail theft report with the Postal Inspectors by calling toll-free (877) 876-2455 or complete the report online at USPS.com/postalinspectors.

“If you see anything suspicious, take down a description, a license plate number or whatever information you can gather and report it to the Post Office immediately,” advises Spizzirri. “Hopefully, additional attention to the problem will reduce preventable mail theft incidents,” he added.

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An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits every address in the nation, 146 million homes and businesses, six days a week. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses, not tax dollars. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $73 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.