Police: Local post office dropbox hit dozens of times by thieves looking for money, checks
Police: Local post office dropbox hit dozens of times by thieves looking for money, checks
Authorities say a mail dropbox outside of a Pennsylvania post office has been struck dozens of times by thieves searching for money and checks. Checks taken from the mailbox have been stolen, washed, and fraudulently deposited into another account of an unintended recipient.
CHELTENHAM, Pa. - On the same day Pennsylvania leaders met to raise concerns about rising crime against the postal service, authorities in one county warned residents to avoid a mailbox that's been struck by thefts dozens of times.
The Cheltenham Township Police Department advised residents not to put mail with cash or checks inside the blue dropbox outside the Elkins Park Post office on Ashbourne Road. The box, according to police, has been a favorite target for money-hungry thieves.
Authorities say checks taken from the mailbox have been stolen, washed, and fraudulently deposited into another account of an unintended recipient. The department has reported at least 70 mailbox thefts, with many happening at the Elkins Park Post Office box.
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Police are telling postal customers to take their mail inside the post office and hand it to a clerk or find a mailbox with a surveillance camera.
The warning comes are leaders in Philadelphia met to discuss surging thefts against the United States Postal Service.
Several members of the Pennsylvania Delegation participated and raised their concerns, asking questions about the mail service’s reliability. The Members of Congress reported an explosion in constituent complaints regarding on-time delivery, mail theft, crimes against postal workers and concern for the upcoming election cycle.
"Over the past two years, my district has had a dramatic increase in the amount of lost or stolen mail packages, undelivered packages, post office closures and poor performance by the local post office," said U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans (D-PA District 3).
U.S. Rep. Gerald Connolly is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Operations and said field hearings were also held in Chicago and Baltimore. Lawmakers said this will continue raising awareness on the problems at the postal service.