HOMEOWNERS are blasting the USPS after they failed to protect 1,000 mailboxes from being hacked by thieves.
City leaders are working with Sacramento, California, residents to help prevent mail theft plaguing the Natomas neighborhood.
“This rests solely on the United States Postal Service,” Sacramento City Council Lisa Kaplan said at a town hall meeting.
“They are doing nothing.”
A meeting took place between the city council, Natomas residents, the Sacramento Police Department, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, and Congressman Ami Bera’s office.
Last year, Natomas’ homeowners association spotted a case of 1,000 cluster mailboxes being stolen after noticing a pattern of mail thefts in a particular neighborhood. This widespread theft has put thousands of people at risk of becoming victims.
“We need something else,” Ed Perez, president of one of Natomas’ largest homeowners associations, told local NBC affiliate KCRA.
“We have kind of given up on the post office because they themselves made it clear the problem is massive.”
Perez said his community has always done what the police asked, but they still haven’t caught the criminals stealing mail.
“Video, photos of the vehicles, plate numbers, narratives, you name it, we send it over and it kind of goes into a black hole,” Perez said.
Resident Kelly Obrecht told KCRA that they would “see people come get the mail and steal it using a key.”
“One neighbor had her identity stolen and they bought a car using her name,” Obrecht continued.
“Important documents like registration for our car were lost, and recently, I had my medication stolen,” another woman said.
“It’s hard to know if we’re really going to be supported during this time.”
Since 2022, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office reported receiving more than 300 mail theft reports.
Kaplan hopes the meeting will help community members learn how to identify suspects.
“My hope is our community members know where cameras need to be placed,” Kaplan told KCRA.
“They need to know we need clear pictures for the Sacramento Police Department to be able to identify people.”
Avoiding mail theft
To prevent mail theft, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) recommends residents take several precautions.
- First, avoid letting mail sit in your mailbox—inspect it daily and remove it promptly.
- For package deliveries, track shipments on the USPS website and sign up for email or text alerts to stay informed.
- If you’re not home when your mail is scheduled to arrive, consider asking a trusted neighbor to pick it up for you.
- For longer absences, you can have your mail held at the Post Office by requesting this service online.
- If valuable mail such as checks doesn’t arrive, immediately reach out to the issuing agency.
- It’s also crucial to update your address with the Post Office and any businesses you regularly correspond with to avoid potential issues.
- Lastly, for outgoing mail, it’s safer to hand it directly to your letter carrier or deposit it inside your local Post Office for added security.
Source: U.S. Postal Inspector
Perez said he’s “sick and tired” of the thefts and wants to take matters into the community’s own hands.
“We’re just sick and tired of really the same script,” Perez said.
“So we have to change the script and really start fixing the problem.”
Residents are desperate for the crimes to end and hope everyone’s efforts will pay off.
“It’s going to come to an end,” Hellman said.
“It just involves a lot of everybody’s efforts.”
USPS did not immediately reply to The U.S. Sun’s request for more information.
