November 29, 2024 – Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office officials report that on Monday, November 25, 2024, just before 9:00 p.m., we received a call for a suspicious vehicle where it was reported two men in a grey Honda Accord were driving near the area of Slate Rim Road towards Bennett Road in Columbia opening mailboxes. The men were described as, one wearing a blue jacket and one wearing a black jacket.
Deputies responded to the area but were unable to locate the described vehicle.
Over the following days we received multiple reports of mailboxes that had been broken into in the area of Highway 49, Bennet Road and Chili Gulch Road.
We want to remind the public to stay vigilant about mail/package theft. If you live in the area the theft occurred, please check your mail. If any important mail was stolen, we encourage you to report it through our non-emergency line, 209-533-5815.
We are also requesting anyone who lives in the area and has video surveillance of the roadway/mailboxes, to please check to see if you caught footage of these suspects.
As we approach the holidays, mail theft tends to increase. Here are some tips if you are having important mail/packages delivered:
◾ Stay Alert - Inquire about overdue mail - If you do not receive a check, credit card, or other valuable mail you’re expecting, contact the sender as soon as possible and inquire about it
◾ If you're not able to be home when important mail or a package will be delivered, ask a neighbor to hold it for you or request the carrier hold the item until a later date.
◾ Consider alternate delivery options - Consider shipping mail/packages to your place of work or use the ship to store option.
◾ Make home surveillance, security cameras and lighting obvious, and confirm that it’s working.
◾ Sign up for delivery alerts so you know when your delivery is scheduled, when the mail/package has been delivered and bring your mail/packages inside as quickly as possible.
◾ Request signature confirmation - When mailing something important, consider requesting Signature Confirmation
◾ Consider a PO Box or locking mailbox – locks can be defeated but locking mailboxes and PO boxes make it more difficult to steal mail.
◾ If you suspect mail containing personal information or financial information has been stolen, take immediate steps to protect yourself from fraud such freezing your credit and initiating a fraud alert.
For more information about how to initiate a fraud alert, please visit the Federal Trade Commission website at: https://consumer.ftc.gov/.../credit-freeze-or-fraud-alert.
Source & photo: Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office
