CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- Leaders in the sprawling Chesterfield County community of Brandermill are warning residents of mail theft.
Community Manager John Bailey tells CBS 6 that within the last month there has been at least two reported.
"We've had two incidents reported to us about mail theft and it was in relation to somebody having put their outgoing mail in their mailbox overnight," Bailey said.
Bailey says that residents should still continue to put mail in their box if they wish to have it picked up by the mailman -- just be smart about it.
"Don't put your outgoing mail in the mailbox overnight it's just an invitation for mischief," Bailey said.
If you do experience a form of mail theft you are asked to not call the police --- call your local post office, since stealing mail is a federal crime.
Here are some preventive tips from the U.S. Postal Service for customers:
- Retrieve all mail and packages from your mailbox before dark.
- Submit vacation mail hold on USPS.comwhen out of town.
- Ask a neighbor to pick-up mail and packages once delivered.
- When possible, deposit outgoing mail at a blue collection box or at a Post Office.
To report mail theft or tampering, contact 877-876-2455 or go online to postalinspectors.uspis.gov.
