As of April 2024, attacks against mail carriers have more than doubled since 2019, with over 600 reported in 2023 alone. These robberies aren’t random — they are increasingly sophisticated operations targeting USPS-issued arrow keys, which open secure mailboxes and collection boxes, allowing organized criminals to steal checks, identities, and personal data [USPS Newsroom, April 2024].
The United States Postal Inspection Service reported that attacks on letter carriers surged more than 30% in just one year, with more than 25,000 mail theft incidents in 2023 alone. Despite these figures, the USPS’s most recent internal report noted that even with added security measures like hardened blue boxes and electronic locks, criminals are still finding ways to exploit legacy vulnerabilities [NBC News, October 2023].
Postal unions are sounding the alarm. Letter carriers in places like Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles are walking off the job or threatening to strike due to unsafe conditions. This reflects a historic level of fear among frontline federal workers [CBS News Philadelphia, March 2024]. The criminals aren’t just stealing keys—they’re committing felonies that carry up to 10-year prison sentences, yet enforcement remains rare and inconsistent.
The Inspector General’s office has launched over 1,000 criminal investigations related to mail theft, but many of these cases don’t result in prosecution or conviction. In fact, even as the DOJ and USPS increase joint task forces, the scale and speed of the organized retail crimes targeting USPS systems are outpacing traditional enforcement tactics [USPS OIG, February 2024].
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