Police Respond to Potential Mail Theft in St. Helens

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 4, 2019

St. Helens, Ore. – On Sunday, March 31, 2019, the St. Helens Police Department responded to reports of possible mail theft in St. Helens. Several callers reported that they woke up to find their mailboxes open and empty. St. Helens officers were dispatched and investigated the reports. Similar circumstances were reported on Thursday, April 4. These incidences occurred along Columbia Boulevard and Sykes Road.

The St. Helens Police Department has been in contact with the United States Postal Service regarding the possible mail theft. This is an ongoing investigation.

To keep your mail as secure as possible, the St. Helens Police Department recommends following these safety tips:

  • Check your mail on a regular basis
  • Consider purchasing a locking mailbox. Follow the USPS mailbox guidelines listed on their website
  • Sign up for informed delivery so that you know when sensitive mail will arrive
  • Cut back landscaping from around your mailbox to keep the box more visible
  • Never send cash in the mail
  • When it’s possible, use the drop box located at the Post Office for outgoing mail

When reporting suspicious activity, notify the St. Helens Police Department when:

  • You see unusual or suspicious individuals lingering around mailboxes
  • You see suspicious vehicles stopped at your mailbox
  • Someone claiming to be a USPS worker does not have identification. USPS drivers always carry a current USPS identification card and will provide it to you upon request. If you feel uncomfortable engaging a suspicious driver, do not hesitate to contact the police

If you have any information regarding the possible mail theft which occurred on March 31 and April 4, please contact the St. Helens Police Department at 503-397-1521.

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For further information regarding the potential mail theft incidences, please contact Sgt. Jose Castilleja at 503-397-1521 or josec@ci.st-helens.or.us.