Thieves continue to target Fort Mill mail drop boxes

FORT MILL, S.C. (WBTV) - Mailbox thieves are continuing to target the United States Postal Service with a focus on one post office in particular.

It’s outside the post office on Tom Hall Street in Fort Mill, S.C. Inspectors with the USPS say thieves regularly target this location with the intent to steal money or checks from the blue drop boxes.

WBTV first spoke with Fort Mill Police about this issue in 2017, then more issues started up again last summer.

[Mail stolen from post office boxes in Fort Mill]

Officers in July said that a person had gotten a hold of a master key that only mail carriers are supposed to have.

Leaders with the USPS also said that postal carriers are trained to prevent mail theft.

But last July, Postal Police Officer Association President Frank Albergo said that sometimes it’s too easy for thieves to get a hold of them.

“It’s a major problem. These arrow keys are all over,” he said. “We no longer can patrol carrier routes, so the carriers are out there like sitting ducks.”

Fort Mill Police does have a solution: Officers say customers should get out of their car and go inside the lobby and use the drop boxes there.

The lobbies are open 24 hours and are monitored.

Customers should also avoid putting money or checks into these blue boxes, and make sure they are handed to a postal worker inside.

Detectives say this is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call 803-547-2022.

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