After a spike in robberies of mail carriers nationwide, the U.S. Postal Service announced Friday that it is rolling out high-security blue collection boxes and replacing arrow keys with electronic locks.
Previously, the arrow keys carried by mail carriers were able to open the old model of blue collection boxes, allowing thieves to rifle through mail for checks and other valuables.
“We’re doubling down on our efforts to protect our Postal employees and the security of the mail. We are hardening targets – both physical and digital – to make them less desirable to thieves and working with our law enforcement partners to bring perpetrators to justice,” U.S. Postal Inspection Service Chief Gary Barksdale said.
For high-risk areas, 12,000 blue boxes, harder than before, are being deployed throughout the next fiscal year. In order to reduce the incentive of stealing keys off of postal workers, 49,000 locks previously opened by arrow keys will be replaced with new electronic locks.