Holiday Season Hazards: Protecting Delivery Drivers and Preventing Package Theft

Delivery drivers for companies like Amazon, FedEx, UPS, and the U.S. Postal Service are facing an increase in robberies and carjackings during the holiday season. Postal workers have reported a 231% increase in assaults over the past three years, with armed robberies of letter carriers rising from 36 incidents in 2018 to 154 incidents in 2021. Thieves are targeting mail carriers for their "arrow keys," which can open most postal boxes and provide access to valuable items like financial documents and prescriptions. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has implemented initiatives to combat these crimes, including the installation of additional security features on mail collection boxes and electronic locks. Recent incidents include an Amazon driver being held up at gunpoint in Connecticut and a FedEx driver being shot during a carjacking in Colorado. In response to the rise in postal crime, Senators Durbin and Collins have introduced the Postal Police Reform Act, which aims to expand the authority of Postal Police Officers to operate offsite and carry out arrests.