Postal inspectors investigating reports of stolen mail in Schaumburg
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is advising the public on how to better secure its mail, as the federal agency confirmed Thursday it is investigating the theft of mail in Schaumburg.
Postal Inspector Silvia Carrier said there is an active investigation into of complaints of stolen mail in Schaumburg, but declined to say the number of reported victims or whether the probe is Schaumburg-specific.
She instead advised customers that bringing mail inside a post office is a better way to keep it secure than using an outdoor collection box - even one right outside the post office.
While that advice is relevant year-round, it's particularly important during the holiday season, when outdoor collection boxes can get so full that mail can be left sitting near the top, Carrier said.
NBC 5 reported this week that a Schaumburg resident who works for an excavation company said that about 30 checks she posted for her employer had been stolen from an outdoor collection box on Schaumburg Road.
She told the station her subsequent review of bank records revealed that the checks had been washed and counterfeited - resulting in thieves attempting to cash fraudulent checks totaling more than $240,000 from the company's account last month before it was closed.