Thefts spark call for rural residents to retrieve their mail early

Thursday, October 13, 2011

PUTNAMVILLLE -- Several complaints of theft from rural mailboxes in south central Putnam County are under investigation by the Indiana State Police at Putnamville.

The thefts occurred along U.S. 231 South near County Road 350 South (Possum Hollow Road).

A total of 35 residential mailboxes in the area were targeted by the suspect or suspects on or around Oct. 3.

In addition to thefts of mail, one resident's vehicle was forcefully entered and articles taken, State Police reported.

The thefts are being investigated by ISP Trooper Brian Thomas. Anyone with information they believe to be helpful is asked to contact Trooper Thomas at the Putnamville Post (653-4114).

The Indiana State Police, along with the U.S. Post Office in Greencastle, urge residents to retrieve their mail as soon as possible. Some of the victims were only emptying their mailboxes every few days, authorities said.

Rural mail thefts are not uncommon and all rural residents should always retrieve their mail as soon as possible, State Police caution. Law enforcement should be notified if suspicious persons or vehicles are observed lingering in the area of rural mailboxes.

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Don't mail your credit card payments from your rural mail box. When your flag is up, it tells a thief that you have out going mail. They can steal your payment and they have your credit card number. This has happened to me. I now mail my payments in town at a postal box.

-- Posted by albert on Thu, Oct 13, 2011, at 8:53 AM
This is the exact same area that had a rash of thefts from mailboxes in the mid 1990s. The perpetrators then were a family, the mother would drive the kids around and empty the mailboxes, then take checks around town cashing them.

-- Posted by Clovertucky on Thu, Oct 13, 2011, at 6:45 PM

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