T
he post office department got a great deal of press in 2020. Most of this press revolved around issues such as funding, voting, and why holiday packages are taking so long to arrive. One of the issues the press hasn’t routinely commented on is mailbox theft. Many California residents don’t realize just how big an issue this has become.

Mailbox Thefts in California

In February 2020, residents of El Dorado County were warned that they needed to pay attention to their mailboxes. The warning was issued after several mailboxes in front of homes were robbed. The week before, approximately 100 Placer County residents reported that they’d had items swiped from their mailboxes.

Another surge in mailbox thefts was reported in the spring of 2020 when both government stimulus checks and unemp...