Background

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s mission is to support and protect the U.S. Postal Service and its employees, infrastructure, and customers; enforce the laws that defend the nation’s mail system from illegal or dangerous use; and ensure public trust in the mail. According to the Postal Inspection Service mail theft strategy, employees have come under increased attack by criminals seeking to perpetrate financial crimes using stolen mail. In 2023, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted the U.S. Postal Service’s Response to Mail Theft audit, which discussed the Postal Service’s and Postal Inspection Service’s strategic and technical solutions to address mail theft and combat carrier robberies occurring across the nation.  

What We Did

Our objective was to evaluate the Postal Service’s and the Postal Inspection Service’s progress on its mail theft strategy, including actions taken in response to our 2023 report. To assess the effectiveness of the agencies’ mail security processes, we also examined controls over arrow keys — often a target in carrier robberies and used to commit mail theft — and collection box security and management at several Postal Service facilities within associated Postal Inspection Service divisions. 

What We Found

In response to our 2023 report, the Postal Inspection Service finalized its Mail Theft strategy and developed standard operating procedures to define its Mail Theft Analytics Program. The Postal Service also developed a plan to acquire and deploy enhanced security measures to replace outdated technologies. While we found that these actions improved some policies, operations, and decision making related to mail theft, greater controls are needed to protect the mail and employees. Specifically, we found many of the same deficiencies identified in prior OIG reports regarding arrow key inventory, scanning, safeguarding, and reporting processes, and we identified a need to increase oversight of arrow key accountability training completion. We also found that collection box system data was not always accurate, the condition of collection boxes should be improved, and updated security information was not always shared internally.

Recommendations and Management Comments

We made four recommendations to address the findings and management agreed with recommendations 1, 3, and 4 but disagreed with recommendation 2. Management’s comments and our evaluation are at the end of each finding and recommendation. Regardless of the disagreement with recommendation 2, we consider management’s comments responsive.