Stolen mail in Massachusetts city has cost postal customers thousands of dollars
FRANKLIN - Investigators believe a suspect who has stolen mail from blue postal service mailboxes in Franklin, Massachusetts was able to break into the boxes using keys stolen from a letter carrier.
The carrier was robbed of her keys on July 11 by a man dressed in black, said postal inspector Danielle Schrage.
"We haven't identified any suspects yet, but we are working closely with the PD on that," Schrage told WBZ-TV.
Thieves targeting checks
Since that time, Franklin police say mail has been stolen from blue mailboxes around the city as part of an apparent check "washing" scam.
Check washing is when individuals remove ink from checks and then fraudulently use their own name and dollar total on the checks.
"They then deposit these checks resulting in people being out thousands of dollars via this check scam," Franklin police wrote in a Facebook post.
Postal inspectors report that these kinds of thefts have picked up significantly in recent years. According to the U.S. Department of Treasury, check fraud is up 385% since the pandemic.
"We launched an initiative back in 2023 called project safe delivery, and as part of that, we are upgrading, hardening boxes," Schrage said.
But nearby residents are nervous and wondering who is behind this.
"It makes you definitely reconsider what your sending through the mail," one Franklin resident said.
"People are just desperate for money, and they'll go to any extreme to use whatever they need to do to get it. So, it's really sad," Helen Mullen said.
How to keep your mail safe
The safest bet is for people to bring their mail directly in to the post office. Law enforcement is also recommending that people check their own mailboxes frequently and their bank accounts.
If you see suspicious activity, you are asked to call local police and postal inspectors.