APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Mail is being stolen from residential boxes in Outagamie County.
Sheriff’s officials say they’re received reports of stolen mail from throughout the county, including in the city of Appleton.
Investigators say the thieves pull up to mailboxes along the road and take both incoming and outgoing mail. The thefts are taking place at all hours of the day.
The sheriff’s office advises homeowners to report any suspicious vehicles approaching mailboxes by calling 1-920-832-5000 immediately. They also advise using U.S. Postal Service boxes instead of home mailboxes to send mail. Some people have been the victims of identity theft when outgoing mail was stolen.
The problem has been going on for at least 6 weeks. Mail is being stolen from residential mailboxes.
Sgt. Nathan Borman with the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office says…
“We’ve been investigating for some time, but we’ve seen an uptick in behavior.”
There’s a larger issue at hand.
The Sheriff’s Office says several people have had their identities stolen.
“Trying to resolve identity theft is far harder than simply cancelling your credit card and getting a new one,” said Borman. “This is much more involved and really affects people’s lives.”
Fox 11 reached out to the United States Postal Service. A postal inspector with United States Postal Inspection Service said because of the ongoing investigation, they cannot provide details.
Though he did say sending mail is one of the most secure ways to send information and commerce.
If you see a suspicious vehicle approaching a mailbox, Borman says they need your help.
“Call us right away if you see something happening. We want to check this out promptly and just let us know if you have anything.”
The sheriff’s office also encourages customers to sign up for the Informed Delivery service from USPS. This service notifies each customer what mail they can expect to receive for the day.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Sgt. John Schuette by phone at 1-920-832-2188 or email at John.Schuette@Outagamie.org.
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