Internal Mail Theft

USPS OIG Investigations

The American public expects to receive their letters and parcels on time and intact. Most postal employees work diligently to move the mail to its proper destination. Unfortunately, a small number of individuals betray the public’s trust. Investigating and identifying those employees who steal mail and seeking their prosecution is our responsibility.

Since assuming responsibility from the Inspection Service for these types of investigations, we hired a number of postal inspectors specializing in internal crime investigations. These investigators, along with the existing complement of special agents, have made an immediate impact.

We address the security of the mail risk through our Mail Theft program, which is designed to protect mail from theft, rifling, destruction, mistreatment, or obstruction. This desired outcome is achieved through the identification, arrest, and prosecution of those responsible for these crimes, as well as the removal of employees by postal management.

Office of Investigations management has initiated investigative and prevention efforts by partnering with the mailing industry.

Examples include attending strategic meetings with key mailers (such as Netflix, Blockbuster, QVC, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) and major financial industry associations, and leading a General Assembly presentation at a recent International Association of Financial Crime Investigators conference in Toronto. Because of these partnerships, mailers provide loss information to the OIG that we match with Postal Service delivery databases to determine possible points of theft, improve efficiency, and reduce losses associated with employee theft.

During the period from April 1 to September 30 2007, our mail theft investigations resulted in 196 arrests and 513 administrative actions.

Postal Union President Pled Guilty to Mail Theft

Life for the next 7 months will not be so “nice” for a former American Postal Workers Union (APWU) local President and Sales and Service Associate (SSA) who worked at the Niceville, Florida Post Office. The former postal employee began serving a 7-month term in the Federal Bureau of Prisons on March 2, 2008, for two counts of mail theft. A Florida District Court also ordered the former postal employee to pay a $500-dollar fine and a $200-Special Monetary Assessment as well as serve 2 years of supervised release upon completion of his sentence. The former postal employee was jailed for rifling mail and removing articles from the mail stream for his personal use.

During surveillance, OIG special agents observed the SSA rifling mail and stealing the contents. During an interview with the agents, the SSA acknowledged the thefts. The Postal Service removed the SSA, effective June 30, 2007.