Mail theft, robberies spiking across Bay Area: Here's what you should know
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- For San Francisco resident Reed Jones, mail theft has been a constant worry ever since he moved into his Bernal Heights neighborhood.
"Our mailbox has been broken into about 10 to 15 times over the last two to three years," Jones said.
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Jones says over the past year or so, he's often times come home to find the doors on his mailbox either broken into or tampered with.
And he's not alone.
The U.S. Postal Service says mail theft as well as mail carrier robberies have both risen broadly in recent years.
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Our media partner the San Francisco Standard reports robbery cases rose from 94 in 2019 to 253 in 2021.
"Some have been at gunpoint. Some have been at knifepoint," said postal inspector, Jeff Fitch.
Fitch says mail theft is a federal crime and something the USPS takes very seriously.
"Postal inspectors respond to the scene and we do what we call neighborhood canvasses. We knock on all the doors of the neighborhood. We talk to residents, we talk to businesses, and we request video," Fitch said.
Fitch says oftentimes, the thieves are looking for personal information like banking details or credit card numbers.
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A scary thought for Jones.
"Other important checks and things, paystubs, etc. that are being stolen," Jones said.
Jones says his mailbox has been broken into so many times that these days his mail person doesn't even bother using it anymore.
"The mailman has actually started just sliding the mail under the door under our gate instead of putting it in the mailbox," Jones said.
Postal officials say reporting any theft and sharing potential evidence helps them catch those responsible.
But Jones says, he still wishes more could be done.
"Either installing a mailbox slot on the garage door itself or in the gate, that is a little more secure," he said.
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