Police warn of mail thefts

-- Deepa Bharath

Newport Beach police are warning Corona del Mar residents about mail

being stolen from post office boxes at the local postal substation.

There were reports of two such thefts over the last few months, said

Newport Beach Police Sgt. Steve Shulman. One woman complained that her

checks were stolen from one of the post office boxes and forged.

The Police Department will put out a crime alert in the area in an

effort to prevent such crimes from happening in the future, Shulman said.

“We’re asking people to take out their mail as soon as possible to

avoid these type of incidents from happening,” he said.

Some of the post office boxes also have glass windows, making it easy

for thieves to pick and choose what they want to steal, Shulman said.

Thefts from mailboxes outside homes also occur periodically in the

city, he said. There were six thefts from mailboxes over the last three

months, Shulman said.

U.S. Postal Inspector Randy Degasperin said mail theft is up in

several areas, including Orange County.

“People should be aware and secure their mailboxes,” he said.

“Incoming mail should be picked up promptly.”