Mail Thefts And Attempts Continue in Bergen County

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — Thanks to modern technology, thieves have been stealing mail and using the checks to electronically swipe funds from unsuspecting customers' banks, including in Bergen County.

The thieves use keys and sometimes even glue traps to fish envelopes out of mailboxes, then alter checks so that they cash them.

Last week, police in one town found evidence of a new mail theft attempt.

On the morning of March 3, according to Glen Rock police, officers headed to the post office on Glen Avenue after postal employees found an "adhesive substance" in a mailbox outside.

There were prior reports of someone stealing mail from the boxes in front of the main post office in that town.

"Such substances are commonly used to trap and remove deposited mail for the purpose of theft," police said. "The condition was corrected by post office employees; however, it is unknown if any mail was stolen."

The matter was referred to the United States Postal Inspection Service for further investigation, police said.

'Mail Fishing'

Such a substance has been found locally before, and so has evidence of theft.

On Dec. 29, Glen Rock Post Office employees told police they'd found a sticky substance in a mail box outside. At the time, police noted that the findings were consistent with a "mail fishing" technique.

Days later, two Bronx men were arrested for stealing mail at another Bergen County post office.

A Norwood resident spied someone taking envelopes out of a mailbox at a post office in that town, police said.

Norwood Police Chief Christian Federici credited an "alert resident" with calling police at 4:30 a.m. in early January to say someone was taking envelopes out of the mailbox.

Police arrived and found two suspects in a 2020 Mercedes Benz, the chief said.

Police found envelopes and checks inside their car, Federici said. They also found ski masks, glue traps affixed to a belt, and alrazolam, a prescription medicine. The two men were arrested and charged with theft.

Federici told Patch that the men had used a glue trap (for mice and rats) attached to a belt to fish out the envelopes.

Other Incidents

Similar crimes occurred around Bergen County last year, including in Maywood, Fort Lee, and Glen Rock.

People who sent checks have also reported that the checks were intercepted, defaced, and cashed.

READ MORE: 'Devices Made From Rat Traps': More Mailboxes Burglarized In Bergen County

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