To report mail theft, call the USPS Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 or file online at postalinspectors.uspis.gov. Mail theft is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 1708 — the Postal Inspection Service is the federal law enforcement agency that investigates it, not local police. Filing a report takes under 10 minutes and is the first step toward investigation and recovery.
Here's the complete reporting process, what information you need before you call, and what happens after you file.
Why Mail Theft Is a Federal Crime — Not a Local One
This distinction matters practically because it determines who you call and what happens next. Mail theft — stealing from a mailbox, stealing mail in transit, or receiving stolen mail — is prosecuted under federal law (18 U.S.C. § 1708), punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and fines up to $250,000 per offense.
Local police departments have no jurisdiction over mail theft as a federal crime. They can take a report for their own records and coordinate with federal investigators, but the investigation authority belongs to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service — USPS's dedicated federal law enforcement arm with 1,200 agents nationwide.
Filing with local police doesn't initiate a federal investigation. Filing with the Postal Inspection Service does. File with both — but prioritize the federal report.
📬 The scale of the problem : The Postal Inspection Service handles over 50,000 mail theft complaints annually. Successful prosecutions result in federal felony convictions with mandatory restitution to victims. Reporting matters — it builds the pattern evidence that leads to arrests, particularly for organized theft rings operating across multiple neighborhoods. Full reporting information at postalinspectors.uspis.gov.
What to Do Before You File — Gather Your Evidence
A well-documented report gets investigated faster and more thoroughly than a vague one. Spend 15 minutes gathering this information before you call or file online.
Document what's missing : List every piece of mail you expected but didn't receive. USPS Informed Delivery — the free daily notification service at usps.com — is your most powerful tool here. If you're enrolled, your Informed Delivery history shows exactly what was scanned for delivery to your address on each date. This is documentary evidence of what was in your mailbox that you never received.
If you're not enrolled in Informed Delivery, enroll immediately after filing your theft report — it creates an evidence trail going forward and is one of the most effective prevention and detection tools available.
Note dates and patterns : When did you first notice mail missing? Has it happened multiple times? What time does your carrier typically deliver? Have you noticed anything unusual — unfamiliar vehicles stopping at mailboxes on your street, items missing consistently on specific days?
Check for physical evidence : Is your mailbox damaged? Pry marks, scratches around the door, a broken flag bracket, or a lock that's been tampered with are all physical evidence worth photographing before filing. A timestamped photo taken immediately preserves evidence that may be needed later.
Identify the financial impact : Was a check stolen? A credit card? A tax document? Financial mail theft enables identity theft and fraud — document the specific financial exposure as precisely as possible. Contact your bank, credit card issuer, or relevant agency to report the potential compromise simultaneously with your theft report.
How to File the Report
Option 1 — Online (fastest) Go to postalinspectors.uspis.gov and click "Report Mail Theft." Complete the online form with your contact information, the address where theft occurred, the dates and description of missing mail, and any supporting information. You'll receive a case number immediately.
Option 2 — Phone Call 1-877-876-2455. Lines are available Monday through Friday during business hours. Have your information ready before calling — the agent will guide you through the same information as the online form. Request a case number before ending the call.
Option 3 — In person at your local post office Ask to speak with the postmaster. They can initiate a report and connect you with the postal inspector assigned to your delivery area. This is the best option if you have physical evidence (damaged mailbox, suspicious items) that you want to present in person.
File with local police as well : After filing with the Postal Inspection Service, file a supplemental report with your local police department. This creates a local record that supports insurance claims for any stolen financial instruments and enables coordination between federal and local law enforcement if arrests are made.
What Happens After You File
Case number assignment : You receive a case number immediately. Keep this number — it's your reference for any follow-up contact and for insurance or financial institution claims documentation.
Postal inspector assignment : Your case is assigned to a postal inspector in your region. They review the report, check for patterns with other reports in your area, and determine whether an investigation is warranted. Individual reports that match patterns of organized theft receive priority investigation.
Sting operations : For addresses with repeated theft reports, postal inspectors can deploy decoy mail — tracked envelopes with bait contents that alert investigators the moment they're opened. Sting operations have resulted in hundreds of arrests of organized mail theft rings across the US.
Follow-up communication : The postal inspector assigned to your case may contact you for additional information. Respond promptly — cases where victims are responsive move faster than those where investigators can't reach the complainant.
Preventing Recurrence After Reporting
Filing a report addresses the past. Preventing future theft requires a physical change to your mailbox setup.
Install a locking mailbox — the single most effective physical deterrent. A front-load mail slot allows carrier delivery while a keyed retrieval door prevents unauthorized access. Once installed, a locking mailbox makes opportunistic theft physically impossible without breaking the box itself — a significantly higher-effort crime that most thieves avoid. Browse our locking mailbox collection for USPS-compliant options that ship free to your address.
Enroll in Informed Delivery — converts future theft from silent to immediately detectable. You know what's coming before it arrives and notice immediately if something expected isn't there.
Retrieve mail daily — mail sitting in an open mailbox for hours is exponentially more vulnerable than mail retrieved within 30 minutes of delivery. Check your typical delivery time via Informed Delivery and retrieve promptly.
🔒 Don't wait for the next theft A stolen check, a missing credit card, a lost tax document — mail theft consequences compound over weeks and months. A locking mailbox eliminates the exposure permanently. USPS-compliant front-load slot, keyed retrieval door, powder-coated steel construction. Free shipping. One installation, permanent protection.
FAQ
How do I report mail theft? Call the USPS Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 or file online at postalinspectors.uspis.gov. Mail theft is a federal crime investigated by federal agents — not local police. File with both for a complete record.
Is mail theft a federal crime? Yes. Mail theft is prosecuted under 18 U.S.C. § 1708, punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and fines up to $250,000 per offense. The USPS Postal Inspection Service is the federal agency that investigates it.
What information do I need to report mail theft? Your contact information, the address where theft occurred, dates of missing mail, description of what was stolen, and any physical evidence (damaged mailbox, suspicious vehicle descriptions). USPS Informed Delivery history is the most useful documentary evidence if you're enrolled.
What happens after I report mail theft? You receive a case number immediately. A postal inspector reviews your report, checks for patterns with other reports in your area, and determines whether an investigation is warranted. Sting operations using decoy mail are used for addresses with repeated theft reports.
Should I also report mail theft to local police? Yes — file with both. The Postal Inspection Service handles the federal investigation. Local police create a record that supports insurance claims and enables local law enforcement coordination if arrests are made.
How can I prevent mail theft after reporting? Install a locking mailbox to physically prevent access, enroll in USPS Informed Delivery for daily notifications of expected mail, and retrieve mail promptly after delivery. These three actions eliminate most mail theft risk for standard residential mailboxes.
