Mail Theft Hits Mendham, Police Offer Advice, Tips

MENDHAM, NJ — Following a recent increase in mail theft, the Mendham Township Police Department is continuing to issue warnings and tips on how to better prevent this crime.

According to the United States Postal Inspection Service, the postal agency's law enforcement arm oversaw 1,079 mail theft cases nationwide in 2021. The USPS reported earlier this year that it received 299,020 complaints of mail theft between March 2020 and Feb. 2021, a 161 percent increase from the previous year.

Members of the Mendham Township Police Department have advised all residents to take these extra precautions to better protect themselves in order to combat this issue.

"To all our residents, this is a reminder to not leave any checks or cash in your home mailboxes and to remove your mail every day as soon as possible. Do not leave any outgoing mail with a method of payment or personal information in your home mailbox," police said.

• Consider renting a post office box or getting a locking mailbox
• Sign up for free Informed Delivery at https://www.usps.com/, which allows residents to digitally preview what can be expected to arrive in that day's mail
• Pick up your mail promptly after delivery or ask a trusted person to do so for you. If you plan to be out of town for an extended period of time, ask the post office to hold your mail delivery until a later date.
• Never send cash through the mail.
• Switch to paperless billing
• Place outgoing mail in the mailbox as close to delivery/pick-up time as possible
• Check with the post office about mail you believe may be overdue
• Report any suspected mail theft to law enforcement immediately.

According to the Postal Inspection Service, recent trends in mail theft are likely due to a number of factors, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in an increase in parcel volume and the mailing of economic impact payments and unemployment insurance payments.