The Redmond Police Department (RPD) has offered tips on how residents prevent mail theft.

According to the RPD website, thieves are looking for almost anything in people’s mail but there are some things they usually look for:

• Checks or cash: They will alter the checks and amount, then cash it for themselves.
• Utility bills, bank statements or packages of checks enable a thief to steal your identity.
• Pre-approved credit card applications: Thieves will apply for this credit, then rack up charges in your name. You can opt out of many credit offers at this Consumer Credit Reporting Industry website.

Get a Locking Mailbox

• Most of Redmond mail thefts are from unlocked, standard mailboxes.
• Single-locking mailbox: You can find them at hardware stores such as Home Depot, Lowe’s or online. The cost of these mailboxes start around $80.
• Make sure the one you pick is “Approved by the Postmaster General.”
• Look for an anti-fishing slot that doesn’t allow a hand to fit through.
• You have a key to this mailbox, but the post office does not.
• If you are renting a home, ask your landlord for a locking mailbox.
• Find a handyman to help you install it or just order from a vendor who will also install it. Call RPD at (425) 556-2500 if you need help finding a vendor or installer.

Cluster or “group” mailboxes: If your neighborhood has a group of mailboxes in a central location, or would like to move from single mailboxes to a grouping of locked mailboxes, RPD recommends one or two residents lead this effort.

• They should first contact the post office about converting boxes to locked mailboxes.
• Lead the petition process for neighbors to complete necessary paperwork.
• The post office has a master key to the group of mailboxes.
• In the past, the post office paid for these but they do not anymore, so neighbors have to split the cost of the box purchase and installation.

Other tips

• Retrieve incoming mail as soon as possible. Most importantly, empty your mailbox before nighttime.
• Do not use the red flag. This only tells a thief that there is some mail to look at. When possible, take your outgoing mail and drop it into a secure U.S. Postal Service box. Locking mailboxes have a clip on the inside of the slot to place outgoing mail, as this is required by the USPS. But, keep in mind…mail you place there will not be secured.
• When you go on a trip, have a trusted neighbor retrieve your mail so that it does not pile up or have the post office hold your mail until you get back. You can sign up for this service at www.usps.gov.
• If you suddenly stop getting any mail at all, check with the post office. Criminals are getting sneaky. Make sure a thief hasn’t put a hold on your mail or forwarded it to another address. This happened recently in Redmond and Kirkland.
• If you see someone stealing mail from your mailbox or you see suspicious activity around mailboxes in your neighborhood (for example someone following the letter carrier) call 911 to report it.