Over the weekend, some residents of the North Bank Road area of North Arcata/South McKinleyville wrote the Lost Coast Outpost to tell us that there have been a series of mail thefts in their area. Lt. Steve Knight of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office confirmed this morning that his agency received reports of five separate mailbox ripoffs in the Hunts Drive area on Friday, and is currently investigating.

Knight also reported this morning that there have been similar ripoffs recently in the Pine Hill area, as thieves attempt to cash in on everyone else’s Christmas joy. Be careful. There are some good tips below.

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On December 15th, 2013 the Humboldt County Sheriffs received a call from a citizen who reported mail boxes on Nancy Court and Melody Court in the Pine Hill area of Eureka had been target by thieves and vandals. Christmas cards were ripped open and mail was strewn about the area.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind the public that mail theft is a continuing problem, especially this time of year. Thieves steal mail from unsecured mail boxes, before and after the delivery truck arrives. The thieves are typically looking for money, blank checks, packages, personal information and credit card information. During the holidays this becomes more lucrative for the thieves due to holiday cards and packages being mailed. Some ways you can protect yourself are:

  • Have a secured locking mailbox if possible

  • Use the letter slots at your post office to mail letters, a postal box or give them to a letter carrier.

  • Pick up your mail promptly after delivery. Don’t leave it in your mailbox overnight.

  • Don’t send cash in the mail.

  • Ask your bank for “secure” checks that can’t be altered.

  • Tell your post office when you’ll be out of town, so they can hold your mail until you return

  • Watch for suspicious persons following the mailperson, UPS or Fed Ex Truck or looking in mail boxes. Report suspicious activity to your local law enforcement agency

You can also go to the US Postal Inspectors Web site.

Anyone with information for the Sheriffs Office regarding criminal activity is encouraged to call the Sheriffs Office at 707-445-7251 or the Sheriffs Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539.