WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Police in Wausau are encouraging residents to keep an eye on their mailboxes after several recent reports of mail being stolen.
Lieutenant John Phillips says there have been numerous reports of mail being stolen right out of the box, and other cases of residents finding their letters have been opened as thieves look for gift cards, checks, or cash.
“Some things have been taken, other things have been rummaged through. We’ve even had [reports] of mail being put in the wrong mailbox. They went through it, then put it in someone else’s mailbox,” said Phillips.
Phillips adds these incidents have only been magnified as families canceled in-person gatherings, meaning more gifts were likely sent in the form of a gift card or money.
Phillips says residents should consider signing up for a service such as the US Postal Services’ Informed Delivery, which sends you a daily email of letters and packages that will be coming to your address so you know what to look for.
“That makes it easy to understand and know ‘hey this is missing’ or ‘this was supposed to be delivered by the postal service on this day and it’s not.’
“Just being aware is the biggest thing with that. What’s coming, what to expect, and then what’s missing,” he added.
If your gift cards or cash get stolen, Phillips says there is very little they can do to track them. Some cards do have built-in fraud protection, but he says for most once they are gone it’s very difficult, if not impossible to get the card back to the person it is intended for.
Officers also encourage residents to check their mailboxes daily to keep items from piling up, which may be a sign to crooks that you aren’t home therefore your items are free for the taking.
“If you are going to be out of town have a trusted friend, relative, or neighbor go get that so it doesn’t stack up to where you have a whole bunch of things go missing at one time.”
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