A Chevy Chase woman never thought a check she put in a United States Postal Service (USPS) blue mailbox in February would end up stolen and offered for sale on the internet. Most alarming of all: she had no clue until recently when a local reporter alerted her.
Susanna Fischer wanted to send her niece a check for her birthday— something she does every year. But the $100 check was never delivered. Fischer was aware the check wasn’t cashed and thought she may have forgotten to mail it.
The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) alerted residents in February of a joint investigation with Inspectors from USPS regarding reports of mail thefts from blue mailboxes in the Silver Spring and Bethesda areas.
“Suspects have been targeting USPS collection boxes that are located outside and they are specifically looking for outgoing checks,” MCPD said in their alert.
In September 2021, MCPD released surveillance video of a man stealing mail from a USPS blue mailbox in Kensington. Police asked for the public’s help in identifying the suspect.
MCPD and USPS were not immediately available for comment regarding mail thefts in the county.
According to a recent investigation by the Washington Post, mailbox thefts are on the rise in the county’s more affluent suburbs like Chevy Chase, Bethesda, and Potomac.
If you have been a victim of mail theft, you can make a report with the United States Postal Inspection Service by calling 1-877-876-2455.
