Newtown Township authorities are investigating a mail theft with ties throughout the region.
On Thursday, the Newtown Township Police Department identified a black Mercedes Benz wanted for mail thefts in Montgomery County earlier in the week. The vehicle fled into Lower Makefield Township, crossed the Scudder Falls Bridge while discarding mail out of the window, and continued into New Jersey.
The discarded mail helped authorities identify victims throughout the Delaware Valley. Some of the victims were from Newtown Township were located in the Woods of Saxony development, police said.
Authorities urged residents who placed personal checks in their mailboxes on Thursday to closely monitor their accounts for any suspicious activity, police said.
“We ask that if you must mail a personal check, that it be handed directly to a mail carrier or dropped off inside the post office. The suspects often target personal mailboxes with a raised flag and the USPS blue boxes,” police said.
They added: “Don’t become a victim and protect your identity by protecting your mail.”
The U.S. Postal Service Postal Inspection Service offers the following tips:
- Promptly pickup mail – Try not to leave letters and packages in your mailbox or at your door for any length of time.
- Inquire about overdue mail – If you do not receive a check, credit card, or other valuable mail you’re expecting, contact the sender as soon as possible and inquire about it.
- Don’t send cash – Be careful about what you send. Don’t risk sending cash in the mail.
- Arrange for prompt pickup – If you cannot be home to receive a package, make another arrangement or use the USPS Hold Mail Service.
- Use Hold for Pickup – When shipping packages, use the Hold for PickUp option, and the recipients can collect the package at their local Post Office.
- Request signature confirmation – When mailing something important, consider requesting Signature Confirmation for the intended recipient.
- File a change of address – If you move, make sure you file a change of address with the Postal Service and let your financial institutions know as well.
