The Scott County Sheriff Office has taken several reports of mail theft and package theft throughout the county. We are asking residents to be the eyes and ears of their neighborhoods and report any suspicious activity, such as people walking or driving a car from mailbox to mailbox and attempting to open and remove mail. If you see any suspicious activity or believe your mail was stolen, call 911 immediately to report it.
Thieves are looking for cash, checks, gift cards, account numbers, your social security number, banking details, pay stubs, and identifying information like your name and date of birth in order to profit from identity theft.
“We are urging everyone to be proactive in protecting themselves from becoming a victim of mail theft and identity theft,” said Sheriff Luke Hennen.
Please help us prevent these crimes by following these tips:
- Switch to paperless billing and statements to reduce the amount of sensitive mail you receive.
- Remove mail from your mailbox soon after delivery, especially if you're expecting checks, credit cards, and/or other valuable items. NEVER leave your mail in your mailbox overnight.
- Have your Post Office hold your mail if you will be away for more than a day. You can do this online, for free, at www.usps.com. You can also ask a trusted neighbor or family member to pick up your mail for you if you won’t be home.
- If you are expecting and did not receive a check or other valuable item of mail, contact the issuing agency immediately.
- Sign up for Informed Delivery, for free, at https://informeddelivery.usps.com. With Informed Delivery you can digitally preview your mail daily, and manage the delivery of packages.
- Report all suspected mail theft by contacting Dispatch non-emergency at 952-445-1411 and Postal Inspector (877-876-2455 or at www.uspis.gov).
- If your mail was stolen, let your neighbors know - they may not realize their mail was stolen too.
Please call 911 for emergencies, or 952-445-1411 for non-emergencies.
Visit www.uspis.gov for more information on mail theft prevention.
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