SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. — Beth Ramsay and her neighbors say their secure group mail box is now at risk because a post office delivery worker had a key stolen Tuesday afternoon.
The key can be used can open hundreds of boxes across the 98012 and 98021 zip codes.
“Several people approached the mail carrier and started talking to her to commit a sneak theft, a very orchestrated attempt to distract the mail carrier with the sole purpose of obtaining her mail key,” said Jeremy Leder with the Postal Inspection Service, which is investigating the crime.
Leder said the thieves have used the key in at least 12 thefts so far as neighbors are calling for the Post Office to replace the locks of all affected mailboxes, which the post office has not done yet.
Some have suggested perhaps it would cost too much to replace hundreds of locks. However, Leder said the post office has extra locks and money is not the concern here.
So KIRO 7 asked him why the locks were not being replaced.
“It’s not necessary to replace every single lock in that zip code,” Leder said. “The security measures we can put in place will prevent that key from being used.”
Leder could not say much about those additional steps as to not tip off the thieves, but he said if problems persist, lock replacement could eventually be part of the solution.
He also said the postal worker who was conned is being talked to about security procedures that may not have been followed.
If anyone is brought to justice for stealing the key, they could face serous federal felonies for tampering with mail.