It was a normal Saturday morning when Allison decided to run errands and pay her bills. After writing her monthly rent check - Allison walked right to her front yard and put the check in the mailbox.
Less than an hour later, Allison received a knock at her front door. To her surprise, her neighbor said she saw someone "steal the check right from the mailbox."
According to the neighbor, the man drove by her home in the Palo Verde neighborhood, turned his car around and then proceeded to get out of his car and take her mail.
Allison says, "I had the flag up which was a mistake, and I thought about that too when I was putting the mail out. I thought to myself maybe I should keep the flag down, but I didn't."
She is now asking her friends and family to not mail anything to her home, and if she has to send something out, she goes to the United Sate Postal Service.
While it is frustrating, Allison says it's worth it. "It's just one of those things and the unfortunate things is not having to have things shipped here. And having to go to the post office and wait in line. It's inconvenient."
A complaint was filed online with the United State Postal Service. KGUN 9 reached out to Postal Inspector David Birch and he says mail theft does occur, and cases are taken very seriously.
Here are a few tips on how to not become a victim:
- Send out bills through Post Office or blue mailboxes.
- If you're out of town, have a neighbor or trusted friend pick up mail or you can have post office hold mail until you return.
- For curbside mailboxes make sure to pick up mail as soon as it's dropped off.
If you have any information regarding this incident or have been a victim to mail theft call, 877-876-2455.
