The Elmhurst Police Department is investigating two reports of burglary to United States Postal Service mailboxes that were reported. On Monday, March 6, at approximately 7 a.m., a concerned citizen reported observing a U.S. Postal Service mailbox with its door ajar at the northeast corner of First Street and Haven Road. Investigation by officers indicated the mailbox door had been forced open with an unknown type of prying tool.
Police alerted authorities at the Elmhurst Post Office and checked the remaining outside USPS mailboxes located throughout the City. Officers found a second mailbox with its door ajar located on the east side of Cottage Hill Ave., between Park Ave. and Adelaide St. This box also had its rear door forced open with an unknown type of prying tool. This mailbox was the northernmost container of the three located on the east side of the street.
Police investigators, in coordination with U.S. Postal Service inspectors, have determined these mailbox locations had their mail last collected by postal carriers on Saturday, March 4 at approximately 4 p.m.
Mail placed into these two mailbox locations between Saturday, March 4 at 4 p.m. and Monday, March 6 at 7 a.m. may have been stolen.
Precautions you should take
The Elmhurst Police Department asks anyone who placed a financial document or check in these particular mailboxes during the time of the break-in occurrence to cancel the document and/or place a fraud alert on their accounts with their financial institutions. Furthermore, any resident that learns of unauthorized financial charges in relation to these mailbox burglaries is asked to file an Identity Theft Report at the Elmhurst Police Department.
The Elmhurst Police Department recommends residents use the interior lobby mail slot of the U.S. Post Office instead of exterior mailbox locations for enhanced security, especially for sensitive mail.
Over the last year, several break-ins to outside U.S. Postal Service mailboxes have been reported throughout the Chicagoland area. Offenders often use the stolen mail to perpetrate identity theft and check forgeries with the stolen documents.
Anyone with information or exterior video footage that may be helpful to solving these mailbox break-ins is asked to contact the Elmhurst Police Department at (630) 530-3050.
