‘It’s a win-win’: Kettering PD optimistic about USPS security changes

KETTERING, Ohio (WDTN) — After months of frustration over stolen mail, the United States Postal Service plans to make its collection boxes more secure and keep mail carriers safe.

2 News has told stories of viewers who saw thousands of dollars taken from their bank accounts and had personal information stolen. This has been happening at post offices across the Miami Valley, including Beavercreek, West Carrollton, Washington Township, and Kettering.

Kettering has been hit the hardest with police receiving dozens of complaints of stolen mail over the last year. Lt. Craig Moore with the Kettering Police Department said he is optimistic about the changes coming from USPS.

“Anything we can do to make it more difficult for thefts to occur, it’s going to be a win-win for everybody,” Lt. Moore explained.

USPS announced its plan to install 12,000 high security blue collection boxes at locations across the country. It also plans to update and replace the old Arrow locks with new, electronic ones.

In the last year, mail carriers were robbed in Dayton, Trotwood, Huber Heights, and Washington Township. USPS hopes updating the locks will discourage people from robbing mail carriers of their keys.

Kettering Police were also able to make several arrests in connection to the stolen mail. Lt. Moore said officers worked non-stop to bring those people in.

“Officers would sit for hours and watch and wait, and we would catch them breaking into them. And just very proactive and wanting to catch these people to protect our community,” Lt. Moore said.

More than 400 mail carriers were robbed across the country in FY2022, and that number is already up to more than 300 for FY2023. USPS also saw more than 38,000 incidents of mail theft in FY2022. For FY2023, they have seen more than 25,000.

Lt. Moore said he is hopeful these changes will actually make a dent in the rising mail crime.

“Just all the hoops they have to jump through and the stress that they go through, and they’re victims and anything we can do to help stop our residents from being victims, it’s a win-win for everybody,” Lt. Moore said.

2 News reached out to USPS to see which mail boxes will be replaced in the Miami Valley. They did not have that information.