City Hall wants to take action against the spike in mailbox theft, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Three members of Council are urging City Council consider a task force specifically to address how to improve and prevent mail theft.Cases of mail theft are rising sharply due to several key reasons.
First, more people are ordering more items on line than ever before. It is also far less common than it used to be to have an individual mailbox attached to your home near the front door, with more and more people relying either on 'rural style' individual mailboxes on the street, or, more commonly, 'cluster' mailboxes which are frequently out of the view of residents. Also, identity theft is a huge problem in this on-line age, and the personal information in many bills and invoices is often enough to steal a person's identity.
This time of year, mailboxes are often filled with tax refund checks.
"We are hearing about this in different areas of the city," Northwest side Councilman Greg Brockhouse told News Radio 1200 WOAI. He reported he has had several issues in his district of theft from joint 'cluster' mailboxes.
"What people are losing in their mail is really scary."
Brockhouse said the real problem in addressing the issue is the fact that the mailbox itself is under federal jurisdiction. The Council members want a joint operation between San Antonio Police and postal inspectors to attack the issue.
Brockhouse says the task force should also look at whether there are alternatives to the large 'cluster' mailboxes which are becoming more and more common in neighborhoods. Last year an attempt to steal mail in Comal County resulted in a mail carrier being shot, and a wild three day chase through San Antonio before the suspects were apprehended.