Local Area on Alert After String of Mailbox Thefts

Several mailboxes in unincorporated San Mateo County near Redwood City were forced open and their contents stolen between Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning, according to county emergency officials.

The series of thefts occurred between 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and 8 a.m. Thursday from mailboxes located at Skyline Boulevard and Bear Gulch Road West, emergency officials said.

The boxes were forced open with pry tools and locks were cut with bolt cutters to get to delivered mail, according to officials.

Emergency officials said an inspector from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service has been assigned to investigate the rash of thefts and will be working with the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.

Anyone with information about the mail thefts is asked to e-mail oyoch@smcgov.org.

Residents are asked to report any suspicious vehicles or people breaking into mailboxes and to share a full description of suspects to San Mateo County sheriff's dispatch at 650-363-4911.

Mail theft is often associated with check, credit card and identify theft. Stealing U.S. mail is a federal offense punishable by a lengthy term in federal prison, according to officials.

- Bay City News Service

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