Repeat Mail Thief Steals From Entire Prospect Heights Block

PROSPECT HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — A mail thief with a postal worker jacket and a key to a storage box on Eastern Parkway has left dozens of residents scared their credit cards, deliveries and tax documents are in jeopardy, according to neighbors.

The thief — who residents caught on surveillance footage — has broken into the bin in front of 55 Eastern Pkwy at least three times since the start of the year, grabbing the entire bag of mail for six buildings near Underhill Avenue, neighbors say.

"People are really afraid," said Alan Mass, president of the owners association at 55 Eastern Pkwy and vice president of the street's Cultural Row Block Association.

"Obviously what they want is to go through the mail and see if they could get credit card bills, Social Security checks — whatever kind of things that come in the mail that are of value. All we know is there’s reason to be fearful that your mail is not safe."

Mass first figured out what was happening in mid-January, when the building's regular postal worker heard from a substitute who was filling in that the storage bin was completely empty, he told Patch.

The postal worker went to the building's super to see if surveillance cameras at the building had caught what happened.

"Sure enough, a guy comes up dressed as a postal worker — at least he has a postal worker jacket on — opens the door, takes the bags out and leaves," Mass said.

Residents believe the thief has returned at least twice since then, including Wednesday of last week, when some tenants found their personal mailboxes empty. It's possible the thief is taking the entire bag, removing valuables, and returning the rest of the mail to the bin, Mass said.

Mass also has heard that mail has been stolen from a storage bin that services the other half of the block, towards Washington Avenue, he said.

The incidents have left him and others scrambling for help from police, elected officials, community boards and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, who confirmed to Patch they are investigating the robberies.

But the damage the thief has done is still hard to say, Mass said, given that people don't always know when certain mail is supposed to have arrived.

"I can't say my mail has been stolen because who knows — with COVID, maybe things are slower," Mass said, noting that he's been waiting for a replacement credit card and a MetroCard from his employer that have not yet arrived.

The super in the building told Mass that he noticed unauthorized charges on one of his credit cards around the time of the robberies. Others have said Christmas cards with checks inside never made it to their mailboxes, another tenant told Patch.

The robberies are especially concerning given that tax season is coming up, Mass said, though so far tenants have told him they've received their documents without a problem.

It's also difficult to tell how far the mail thief, or thieves, have reached, Mass said.

He's heard from an agent with the Inspection Service that locks are being changed on storage bins in several ZIP codes, and that several people have been arrested as part of the investigation, Mass said. A spokesperson from the Inspection Service said they could not confirm those details to given the ongoing investigation.

In the meantime, the inspectors are urging residents to carefully monitor their credit card statements, credit rating and other personal information. It's best to hand mail directly to a carrier or send it using a Post Office, they said.

"Every day, the U.S. Postal Service safely and efficiently delivers millions of checks, money orders, credit cards, and merchandise," the spokesperson said. "Unfortunately, such items are also attractive to thieves. That’s why Postal Inspectors across the country are at work to protect our customer’s mail."

Anyone with information, photo or video that they think would help the investigation can email it to: publicaffairsnewyork@uspis.gov, the spokesperson said. Complaints can also be filed online at www.uspis.gov/report or by calling 877-876-2455.