Protect Against Mail Theft

Friday, December 4, 2015 at 12:00 AM

From the LaPlata Co. Sheriff's Office: As we enter the Holiday season, La Plata County Sheriff’s Office is warning area residents to take steps to protect themselves from theft from their mailboxes.

To thieves, your mailbox is an open invitation to steal checks, cash, gifts, and other items you may be sending or receiving through the mail. LPCSO Public Information Officer Dan Bender said there is a surge in mail thefts every year during the 2 to 3 weeks leading up to Christmas. That surge has not yet begun, Bender said. “We are encouraging people to close the barn door now before the horses get out, or the Grinches begin stealing your Christmas.” While mail theft and identity theft are problems at all times, The Sheriff’s Office sees surges just before Christmas and during March/April when income tax refunds are sent by mail.

While mail theft occurs anyplace a mail box is unattended along the road, Bender said the most popular targets are rural areas where mailboxes are in clusters, or in rows of key locked mailboxes in subdivisions. These clusters allow thieves to hit dozens of mailboxes in one stop. Just a few examples of where thefts have happened in the past: Rafter-J; CR 203, CR214/Rainbow Road; CR 222; CR 310; Vallecito; rural subdivisions near Ignacio. In some cases, the entire bank of boxes have been ripped out of ground by use of a chain around the base and dragged off by a vehicle to be ransacked at more secluded location.

You can reduce the chance of becoming a victim of mailbox theft, by following these steps:

Do not put outgoing mail, especially checks and other mail with personal account information in your mail box. Drop it in secure US Postal Service boxes.
If you have no choice but to put outgoing mail in your personal mail box, put it in as close to the time your mail carrier makes pick-ups as possible.
Never leave mail in your mail box overnight.
Remove incoming mail as soon as possible after drop offs. Mail thieves can strike in broad daylight as well as at night, following behind the mail carrier.

“If you have any information regarding crimes or persons involved in crimes in Durango or La Plata County, you are urged to call CrimeStoppers 24 hours a day at (970) 247-1112, or text “TIPSTER” (274637). You do not need to give your name, and you may be eligible for a substantial cash reward; or log onto www.DurangoLaPlataCrimeStoppers.org .“

More from Local News

San Juan College Luminaria Display: Sat. Dec. 7, 2024

Sounds of the season will ring campus-wide as San Juan College’s listener-supported radio station, KSJE 90.9 FM, broadcasts your favorite Christmas carols. The KSJE Facebook page will also provide live video coverage of the event several times throughout the evening.
2024 Election: San Juan County Contested Races

These are the unofficial election results from voting on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 of the contested races in San Juan County, NM.
Local Freight Rail to receive up to $4 Million more for project

The (Four Corners Freight Rail) project aligns with the selection criteria by enhancing resilience and improving system and service performance, as the project will provide a viable freight transportation modal alternative to highway trucking, opportunities to simplify the supply chain, and enable new, rail-dependent economic development opportunities thereby imparting benefits to the Navajo Nation and surrounding communities.
Teen Boy Fatally Stabbed, Mother Beaten, Juvenile Suspect Arrested

The victim is a 12-year old boy who died of apparent stab wounds. A second victim, believed to be the suspect’s mother, sustained injuries from a blunt object attack and is being treated at CommonSpirit Mercy Hospital in Durango. The names of the victims are being withheld as the investigation is ongoing. The incident was reported by a motorist who was involved in a single vehicle accident shortly after 7 a.m., believed to have been caused by the suspect as he fled the residence on Snowy Peaks Way. Deputies discovered the scene when they arrived to investigate the accident.
Woman & Bystander Fatally Shot in Farmington

Andrew Wittenberg has been charged with aggravated burglary, larceny of a firearm, two counts of first-degree murder, and tampering with evidence. The investigation is still ongoing, and more information will be provided as it becomes available.
Sheriff's Office Makes Arrests in Bloomfield Double Homicide

On August 29, 2024, Detectives and USMS investigative efforts tracked the suspects to a mobile home in the Waterflow area west of Kirtland New Mexico. San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, Farmington Police Department, United States Marshals Service and the New Mexico State Police arrived at the location and began to call out Isaiah Brown and Ravyn Burns.