48°
A large amount of mail was snatched from inside the boxes outside the River Road facility sometime between 6 p.m. Wednesday, after they were last emptied, and 7 a.m. Thursday, Detective Lt. Kevin Van Saders said.
The wave of Bergen-area postal box thefts continued when someone broke into two boxes outside the Englewood Post Office in broad daylight on Thursday.
Federal authorities earlier this month said that as many as 40 postal boxes had been broken into in several Bergen County towns, as thieves search for cash, checks and personal information.
In recent years, the U.S. Postal Service has retrofitted postal boxes to thwart thieves who "fish" for mail by rigging adhesive tape or other devices into the opening and then pulling out envelopes to search for checks or cash.
However, there have been recent reports of boxes being drilled into and doors being pried open.
Stealing mail is a federal offense -- the penalties for which are severe. There's no parole in the federal prison system, meaning that convicts must serve just about all of their sentences.
"If anyone had placed any mail in these mailboxes during this time, please make sure your mail reached its destination," said Van Sader, the New Milford police lieutenant. "If any mail had personal or financial information on it, please notify your financial institutions and monitor your credit report."
If you confirm that mail stolen from any mailboxes resulted in identity theft, contact your local police department or the U.S. Postal Inspection Service: (877) 876-2455.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Mahwah-Ramsey and receive free news updates.
