For months, residents across Malibu have reported repeated incidents of mail theft, losing packages and checks from unknown culprits ransacking mailboxes on personal property. Local sheriff’s officials reported that multiple arrests have been made relating to mail theft, including one on Monday, Aug. 15.
The spree of thefts was publicized by City Manager Reva Feldman at the Aug. 8 city council meeting.
“When you go to put your mail in the mailboxes apparently there have been some thefts recently,” Feldman said. “I just wanted to encourage our residents to take their mail to the actual post offices or give it to a mailer carrier to avoid any possible fraud or theft.”
Stealing mail falls into a gray area between state and federal jurisdiction, so many residents have reported their own cases to the local post office with disappointing results.
“In May, I lost a package. I went to the post office and asked them and they said there’s nothing they could do about it, it was just tough luck,” Western Malibu resident Byron Jensen said.
The United States Postal Service tracks when individual carriers drop off mail and packages. If the organization detects that there’s an issue before the delivery was completed, they’ll investigate.
“Once we put the mail in the mailbox, it’s a local police issue,” Postmaster Johnnie Johnson, of the Heathercliff post office in Malibu, said.
If residents have their mail stolen while it is sitting in their box, the investigation is passed on to local authorities and the United Postal Inspection Service. Whether the case is investigated as state or federal relies on the specifics of each case.
“It depends on what evidence you have,” Public Information Officer for the United States Postal Inspection Service Stacia Crane said. “Usually, what they’re looking for is a check that they wash or a money order.”
“Washing” is a term used to describe erasing information from checks so they can be rewritten. Criminals use this technique to change the “to” and “amount” lines for quick cash.
Crane suggested that residents sign checks with gel-based pens to prevent checks from being washed and deposited by criminals.
The Postal Inspection Service also suggests deterrent measures such as motion detection lights or security cameras. These efforts could also be used to assist local police investigations.
“We need people to pick up the phone and call the sheriff’s,” Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Lieutenant AJ Rotella said. “We have limited resources and these bad guys know it. That’s why we need the community.”
In July, Jensen woke up at four in the morning and spotted a car outside of his house. He saw someone exit the car and take mail out of his mailbox, then the unidentified individual walked next door and took his neighbor’s mail as well. At that point, another car drove on Jensen’s street, forcing the individual to go back to their car and drive away.
“I thought ‘I’m going to go after these people.’ So I got some shoes and got my car and drove after them,” Jensen said.
He followed the car for several streets, eventually taking down a license plate number before returning home. Jensen chose to report the event later in the day, and eventually it was revealed the car had been stolen.
Police ask residents not to wait when they see criminal activity.
“When something like this happens, call us immediately,” Rotella said. “It goes back to that saying: ‘If you see something, say something.’”
Malibu residents are asked to call both the local sheriff’s station and the Postal Inspection Service whenever they experience mail theft. Both organizations work together on cases and share information.
This isn’t the first time Malibu has been affected by mail theft. In January 2016, a Reseda man was arrested for credit card fraud and identity theft after detectives uncovered stolen credit cards, bank checks, driver’s licenses and personal identification numbers from citizens in Malibu as well as Agoura Hills, Moorpark, Chatsworth, Simi Valley and Canoga Park.
Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s officials are obligated to notify victims of mail theft once suspects have been apprehended.
The Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station made multiple arrests relating to mail theft within the past week, but the details of those arrests were not available before The Malibu Times went to print. The sheriff’s department will be going through evidence to determine which Malibu residents were affected by the crimes, Rotella said.
In the meantime, residents are advised not to put outgoing mail in their mailboxes. They are told to pick up incoming mail as close to drop-off time as possible.
In the event of a theft, citizens may call the 24-hour Postal Inspection Service hotline: 877.876.2455. The process can take between 10 to 20 minutes.
Police reports can be filed online by going to LASD.org and selecting “File Online Report,” on the left-hand side.