Postal inspector advises to monitor accounts after reports of stolen mail in Boone County
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Boone County Sheriff's Office believes mail was stolen from multiple residents just southeast of Columbia.
On Monday, the department posted on Facebook that it had recovered mail addressed to more than 60 residents on Rangeline Road, Bowling Lane, Carter School Road, Purdy Lane and I-70 Drive SE. However, the post says the theft isn't limited to these roads.
Matthew Villicana, a postal inspector with the United States Postal Inspection Service, said mail theft is usually tied to identity theft and bank fraud. He said thieves are typically looking for checks.
He said this is why anyone with potentially stolen mail should keep a close eye on their credit and bank accounts.
"The most important thing is to monitor your accounts, make sure nothing was taken," Villicana said. "It could be one check, it could be the use of the account information after the one check is stolen, so monitor your accounts."
The sheriff's office asks those living in the affected areas to check for any missing mail and call Boone County Joint Communications at 311 to report any missing mail.
The post says the department will notify the owners of the recovered mail and return it.
ABC 17 News contacted the Boone County Sheriff's Office to learn more information about the thefts including timing, how the mail was recovered and suspect information, but has not gotten any more information as of Tuesday evening.
When asked if the United States Postal Inspection Service would be working with local law enforcement on this case, Villicana said his office takes complaints and will offer assistance if local law enforcement wants to prosecute locally.
Villicana said to deter mail theft, people shouldn't leave anything in mailboxes or collection boxes overnight. He said if someone needs to mail a check, they should carry it inside the post office to deliver.
He said people can also enroll in their bank's Positive Pay program to deter check fraud.
The United States Postal Inspection Service website says other ways to protect against mail and package theft include picking up mail promptly or arranging for a prompt pickup, requesting signature confirmation on important mail items and contacting the sender if a piece of mail hasn't arrived when it was expected.
