Blue U.S. Postal Service mailboxes in Naperville are being targeted by thieves, who are using the stolen mail to commit identity theft, police said.
Naperville police Cmdr. Michaus Williams said in an email that nine mailbox break-ins have been reported in the past two months.
It’s a “new phenomenon” that police have not seen locally until now, he said.
Because of the stolen mail, 25 people have reported being victims of identity theft, prompting Naperville police to post an advisory on their Facebook page advising people to drop off mail inside a post office instead of using the large, blue postal mailboxes, especially when sending a check or cash.
To avoid an unhappy holiday season, the U.S. Postal Service also offers safety tips, including:
Don’t leave letters and packages in your mailbox or at your door for any length of time;
Deposit outgoing mail inside a post office building or into blue collection boxes before the last collection;
Don’t send cash in the mail;
If you cannot be home to receive a package, make another arrangement or use the Postal Service’s mail hold service;
When shipping packages, use the hold-for-pickup option so the recipients can collect their package at their post office;
When mailing something important, consider requesting a signature confirmation for the intended recipient.