The theft of mail by staff members within the United States Postal Service is an increasingly severe problem — as some employees infiltrate the agency in order to steal items.
A report from the Inspector General of the U.S. Postal Service Office released in October revealed that some employees “brought personal belongings onto the workroom floor,” such as bags or heavy coats, “which were used to conceal stolen mail and packages.”
The office has seen a rapid increase in internal mail theft closed cases in recent years. There was an increase from 1,216 closed cases in fiscal year 2020 to 1,790 closed cases in fiscal year 2023.
“While most Postal Service employees work conscientiously to deliver the nation’s mail, there has been a small number who have stolen, delayed, or destroyed mail and packages,” the report said.
That small minority of employees swipes packages suspected to contain “credit cards, checks, cash, gift cards, narcotics, high value articles, and other sensitive items.
