“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” That saying is famously used to describe postal workers and their delivery duties. Here in San Antonio, there is very little worry about snow, but mail carriers certainly have to contend with heat and as we have all seen in recent days, some big rainstorms.
A recent news article says mail theft is rising in San Antonio, though a spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service concedes that there is no crime data backing the assertion. The article points out that in arrests involving allegations of mail theft, searches can uncover evidence of other criminal activity, including drug crimes, ID theft, robbery and other offenses.
The month of May is perhaps surprisingly a time  when mail thefts can go up, the spokesperson said. That’s because many people mail out graduation gifts to high school and college seniors.
The article in the Houston Chronicle notes that on the Northeast Side, break-ins were reported at 7 mailbox clusters; the clusters are stacked rows of aluminum mailboxes for subdivisions and apartment buildings.
Only three people have been indicted on mail theft charges this year. The actual arrests involving alleged mail thefts might well be higher because some defendants are charged with drug crimes carrying stiffer penalties than the infractions involving the mail.
We all know how harsh drug crime penalties can be. Their severity is why officials sometimes pass over filing mail theft charges. Anyone facing accusations involving drug trafficking, manufacturing or possession can speak with an attorney experienced in effective criminal defense.
