Mail safety alert | US Postal Inspector in Louisville warns of thieves targeting blue boxes | Crime Reports

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Thieves are stealing mail out of U.S. Postal Service boxes in eastern Jefferson County.

The thefts are mainly happening from blue mailboxes at Holiday Manor in the Indian Hills neighborhood.

"I'm putting a get well card to my wife's cousin," Robert Boone said while dropping mail in the box on Wednesday. "Hopefully it'll get there."

Indian Hills Police sounded an alarm this week telling people to avoid the familiar blue boxes for any mail containing money or financial information.

When you drop your mail, you expect it to be safe, but Boone knows that's not always the case. "I have a friend whose check was stolen out of here."

"I don't usually mail anything of value anymore because of the theft," said Sara Taylor.

She and her family know what it's like to be a victim of stolen mail.

"My daughter had a birthday card stolen with money in it," she said.

Gabrielle Kays said she had two checks stolen from the boxes at Holiday Manor.

"One was over $10,000 as part of an insurance claim from storm damage," Kays said "The checks were washed, forged and deposited in someone else's name to another bank."

The Indian Hills Police Department said the thieves aren't just altering checks stolen from the blue boxes. They're also using victims' identities to access and take money from their bank accounts.

"That is sad, and you feel like you should be able to trust the mail system. It's heartbreaking," Taylor said.

Though it's hard to give an exact number of mail thefts, U.S. Postal Inspector Jeff Sagrecy said it's happening all around town.

"It's an issue we've been battling for a couple years," he said.

The United States Postal Inspection Service now targets Holiday Manor and other areas in Louisville to catch the thieves. Sagrecy said many of the boxes are also shifting to electronic locks.

"As we see those boxes being installed, we are seeing less mail thefts," he explained.

Sagrecy recommends not letting mail sit in a mailbox overnight. If you have to use a blue box, leave your letters and packages right before collection. He said all boxes are marked with the pickup time.

Sagrecy said the best way to protect your mail is to drop it off inside the U.S. Post Office. That is something Boone said he knows is worth the hassle for checks and credit card applications.

"If the get well card doesn't get there, it's not the end of the world, but if I had a check stolen out of here or they got my routing number," Boone said.

Anyone with information about these crimes is encouraged to reach out to the Indian Hills Police Department at 502-893-2677 or click here.

If you have mail stolen, contact the U.S. Postal Inspectors at 877-876-2455 or click here. To learn more ways to protect yourself, click here.

Related stories: