USPS Takes Action: Combating Postal Crimes and Protecting Workers

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has announced over 600 arrests since May as part of a crackdown on mail theft and carrier robberies. Criminals have been targeting carriers' "arrow keys" to gain access to mailboxes, with carriers being accosted at gunpoint. The USPS is replacing tens of thousands of universal keys with electronic locks to reduce robberies, and has deployed high-security blue boxes in high-risk locations. The Postal Service has also implemented changes to reduce fraudulent change-of-address transactions and counterfeit postage. The penalty for interfering with the mail can be up to five years in prison for theft, up to 10 years for possession or disposal of postal property, and up to 10 years for assaulting a mail carrier.