Eagle Point, Ore. — The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a common crime in our area – mail theft.
Last night along the Rogue River Drive in Eagle Point, deputies say there were dozens of victims.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office says mailbox theft in the valley is fairly common.
Sergeant Eric Henderson says the office gets calls about mail theft once a month or so, and its usually rural residents that are most targeted.
“They can drive up, they can walk up and just take things out of there,” Connie Snider, who lives off of Rogue River Drive, said.
When Eagle Point residents living along Rogue River Drive went outside to collect their mail Thursday morning, many found their mailboxes open with nothing inside.
“The deputies went up there to investigate, and they basically found a ton of open mailboxes. There were somewhere between 70 and 80 victims all the way up and down Rogue River Drive,” Sergeant Henderson said.
Deputies even found envelopes scattered across the road.
Sergeant Eric Henderson with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office says it’s especially worrisome if someone receives mail with confidential information, or you’re sending out a check.
“If you get a check stolen, those items can be taken and actually washed and turned into a check that they can pass somewhere else,” Sergeant Henderson said.
Connie Snider who lives close to the string of mail thefts says her main concern is getting a credit card application.
“They can use our name, our address, and that code to get a credit card in our name,” Snider said.
She says her neighbors often have to call companies to track their mail.
But when she moved to the area seven years ago, her family decided to get a post office box.
“Because sometimes we receive checks, we just decided that we wanted to have a post office box for the security,” Snider said.
Other safe options include neighbors sharing the cost of a cluster box, or getting a mailbox with a lock on it.
If you believe your mail has been stolen, you should file a report with your local police department.
And if you aren’t sure, you can always contact your local post office.
“There are people wherever you go, that are gonna try and take your stuff or damage your stuff,” Snider said.
Snider says she’d like to see more police presence in the area, but she also hopes her neighbors lock up their valuables.
“Whatever you want to keep, make sure it’s under lock and key and that includes the mail,” Snider said.
If you saw anything suspicious or have security footage of the thefts, you’re encouraged to contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office by calling dispatch at 541-776-7206.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.