Recent spike in stolen mail prompts warning from Ormond Beach police

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Updated  September 17, 2024 8:05pm EDT
FOX 35 Orlando
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Recent spike in stolen mail prompts warning

Ormond Beach police officers are warning residents following a recent spike in stolen mail. Up to 50 people have come forward with complaints about their mail, police said.

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. - Ormond Beach police officers are warning residents following a recent spike in stolen mail.

OBPD Detective Daniel Jordan tells FOX 35 News that upwards of 50 people have come forward with complaints about their mail. Jordan said the trend began with suspects stealing from loading bays from the mail facilities.

"It progressed on to rigging the mailboxes with [devices] the public might not be so aware of," Jordan said. According to the detective, people have been putting makeshift devices inside the United States Postal Service drop-offs throughout the city.

According to the department, blue mailboxes, referred to as "snorkel boxes," are the main target for thieves. The devices have several versions. The department's photographs show pieces of cardboard cut to fit inside the receiver slots of the blue mailboxes.

The devices can’t be seen from the outside, so it’s difficult to tell if your package has been caught. The suspects are accused of returning to retrieve their homemade mail trap and the mail inside.

"There's just so many scams out there. We can't stay ahead of them," Jan Hamill said as she left the post office. "[I] feel like we have to be overly vigilant with everything we do these days."

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Dozens of people have reported financial crimes stemming from mail thefts. Checks have been stolen, washed, and fraudulently cashed or deposited into different accounts. To counter that, Jordan recommends paying bills and doing other financial transactions online.

"We want people to spend more time considering going inside the post office versus trusting in those boxes alone," he said.

Detective Jordan said paying attention when you’re dropping your package off is essential. Listen for the mail to hit the bottom of the mailbox.

"If it just doesn't feel right, report it and do what feels right," he said. OBPD is working in tandem with USPS to resolve the growing problem. He also said the trend is being seen across the state of Florida. Tampering with or stealing mail is a felony crime.

If you see something suspicious at the post office or mailbox, you should contact the USPS directly, as they have their own investigation team.

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