BOULDER, Colo. — Boulder officials are warning residents to avoid dropping off their mail in USPS collection boxes as theft from those iconic blue boxes has increased across the city.
"I've never experienced this high of a check theft," said Detective Taylor Hickam with the Boulder Police Department, which is investigating dozens of blue box break-ins across the city.
The thieves are targeting checks, including those from tax returns, payments to the county treasurer's office, and checks sent to residents from municipal agencies.
"It's going to have people's names, their date of birth, their Social Security—they're going to get all that stuff. So not only are they getting their checks stolen, they can get their identity stolen as well," said Detective Hickam.
Since April, the crooks have taken at least $300,000 from the Boulder community.
"It's happening all the way up to Fort Collins, all the way down to the Springs area. I've also heard out of state that it's happening," said Hickam.
USPS told Denver7 they are in the process of installing high-security blue boxes with an electronic system instead of traditional locks in certain high-risk areas.
So far, they've installed more than 15,000 of the new boxes across the country, but they will not disclose where those are.
For now, the USPS recommends that people go inside the Post Office to drop off their mail and avoid the blue boxes altogether.
If people are missing mail or may have become a victim of identity theft or check fraud, they can call 877-876-2455 to file a report, or click here.
If you have any information about the local blue box thefts, call Boulder Police at 303-441-3333.
