Westside may have mail tampering/theft problem
Residents on the Westside are being advised to take precautions with their mail.
Sue Luck, manager of the West End Station in Old Colorado City, said that tampering or theft problems have increased across the country in the past year, including the Westside. “People should call the police if they think it is happening,” she said. If there is sufficient proof - such as a broken mailbox or someone seen stealing mail - postal inspectors will also get involved, she explained. Tampering with other people's mail is a federal offense. On King Street, residents are getting concerned that one or more people have been stealing mail, including checks, according to Joan Lambert, who lives in that area. One person even had a Social Security check stolen from her mailbox (although it was never cashed), Lambert said. In the Lambert family's case, expected checks have occasionally not arrived, and one day they found no mail, but did find “scraps from easter egg shells” in the box, according to Richard Lambert. “People need to be alerted somehow to watch their mailboxes,” Joan Lambert said. Luck said one solution is to get together with neighbors to put a big “neighborhood box” up on a nearby street corner. However, she added, “in 80904, a lot of older folks don't like to walk down the block to get their mail.” Other suggestions from Luck were that people put outgoing mail out the day it's to be mailed (or take it to the post office), pick up mail on a regular basis, make sure their mailbox is in good shape or buy a locking box. The Lamberts are looking into taking the latter action. Westside Pioneer article |