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Whoever was responsible broke into the boxes outside the Oradell Post Office Sunday night, borough police said.
“Numerous pieces of mail were opened and checks taken,” they said. “Some mail was recovered including many holiday cards.”
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service was notified.
Meanwhile, borough police said, “keep checking your personal accounts for unusual activity if you mailed any money this weekend.”
Citizens in towns throughout North Jersey have reported a steady stream of mail thefts.
Where once the thieves fished for mail using weighted lines covered with reversed duct tape or rat-trap glue, more and more are simply prying the boxes open.
Many of the thefts are occurring outside post offices after hours.
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ALSO SEE: In what’s become an epidemic of sorts, a Ridgewood woman became one of the latest mailbox theft victims after someone stole and cashed $1,788 in checks that she’d deposited outside the Glen Rock Post Office, police said.
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Police everywhere are urging citizens to go inside their local post offices to mail money.
They also warn against placing any mail in a free-standing box at night or on a holiday or weekend because it will end up sitting there awhile.
Although stealing mail is a federal crime that carries a prison term of up to five years for a conviction, thefts continue to increase at an alarming rate.
Thieves pocket any cash or alter any checks they find, then deposit the money in their own accounts. They can also retrieve information to steal identities, authorities say.
If you see someone fishing or tampering with a mailbox or sitting in a car parked for a long time near one, contact your local police department immediately.
Or call the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Hotline at (877) 876-2455.
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