LEANDER, Texas — The Leander Police Department (LPD) is searching for two suspects caught on camera using what is believed to be a "master key" to steal from several community cluster mailboxes.
The LPD said officers responded at approximately 2:49 p.m. on March 4 to the intersection of Indian Wells and Mira Vista for a theft call. When officers arrived at the scene, they found several community cluster mailboxes nearby were broken into earlier that morning and letters and packages were stolen.
The LPD obtained two surveillance video recordings of this theft. In one video, two people are seen pulling up next to the mailboxes at approximately 2:30 a.m. on the same morning, in what is believed to be a newer model Jeep Renegade.
In the other video, the two suspects are shown to have gained access to the mailboxes and are seen removing several items from the mailboxes.
Police believe the two suspects may have used a U.S. Postal Service "master key" to access the mailboxes. The LPD said the "master keys" are regional and can be used to access all cluster mailboxes in the Leander area. So far, this is the only theft report of this nature made to the LPD, officials told KVUE on Friday.
The two suspects are described as:
- A male with a thin build, wearing a facemask, white and gray baseball cap, green hoodie, gray pants and white athletic shoes.
- A man with black hair and a medium build, wearing a facemask, dark green shirt, dark color jeans and black “Jordan” style athletic shoes with a reflective tongue
The LPD told KVUE it is working closely with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service on this investigation and is pursuing several active leads. The USPS also said the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is investigating how thieves accessed and stole mail.
In June 2021, KVUE reported that police were searching for two men suspected of mail theft and burglary of a vehicle in the Crystal Falls/Mira Vista area.
If you have any information relating to this most recent theft, please contact Sergeant Mayberry at 512-528-2817 or amayberry@leandertx.gov. The USPS said it offers up to $10,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction for mail theft. Tips can be made anonymously by calling 877-876-2455 or by going online.
The Postal Inspection Service also shared tips on how to prevent mail theft:
- The most secure way to send U.S. Mail is through your local post office window service counter. If that is not feasible, the next safest way is to use the inside collection slots that deposit mail directly into the post office.
- If using the Postal Service’s outside blue collection boxes, never deposit mail after the last dispatch time. Each box has dispatch times printed on a label, and it will point you to the location for the latest pickup time in your area. Avoid depositing mail during the night, Sundays, and federal holidays.
- If you witness someone going into a collection box or mail delivery receptacle during non-postal work times, contact your local police, and notify postal inspectors at 877-876-2455.
- Sign up for Informed Delivery so that you will be notified about mail that the USPS expects to deliver to your mail receptacle.
- Do not allow your mail to sit overnight in mailboxes. If you are going out of town, submit a mail hold order to pause your delivery of U.S. Mail.
- If you think you are a victim of mail theft, contact local law enforcement and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
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