6 Glen Cove Mailboxes May Have Been Tampered With: Police

GLEN COVE, NY--The Glen Cove Police Department warned residents on Wednesday that six of the city's USPS mailboxes might have been tampered with over the weekend. The following six mailboxes were found to have a sticky substance on the mailbox door and inside the mailbox:

• In front of 225 Forest Ave.
• In front of 2A Porter Place
• In front of 51 Glen St.
• In front of 217 Glen St.
• Between 1 and 3 School St.
• Woolsey Ave and Chestnut Street

These kinds of thefts are called "mail fishing," or the removal of mail that had been placed into a mail box. Mail fishers look for mailboxes that have a swing door on top, coat the end of a stick with glue, and place the stick through the swing door into the mailbox. They then move the stick around until they get mail to stick to it.

They then search the mail for checks and other personal information. Upon discovering a check, mail fishers will alter the amount on it and change who it's made out to before cashing it.

Residents are advised to look at their checking account for unauthorized activity or ask the intended recipient if they got the check. If you discover unauthorized activity, notify your banking institution and the Police Department.

The period the mailboxes seem to have been tampered with is between May 18 through May 20.