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Boulder Police said they believe the man may be part of a “highly organized” theft ring operating around the metro area.
BOULDER, Colo. — Under the cover of darkness Boulder Police arrested a man they believe is likely part of a larger theft ring targeting blue USPS boxes across the metro area.
According to Boulder Police, on July 17, two officers pulled into a post office and minutes later saw a car pull up to the blue boxes. They saw a man open one and grab a bunch of mail that was inside.
The officers followed the man when he left and took him into custody after a traffic stop, Boulder Police said. In addition to the stolen mail, the man also had other people’s identification cards, credit cards, and counterfeit keys with him. Detectives believe those keys were used to open and steal mail from the blue boxes.
“This was some really good policework coordinated by our Watch 3 officers and investigated by Detective Hickam,” Interim Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said. “This also appears to be a highly organized theft ring that extends far outside of Boulder. Our community is only one part of this criminal enterprise.”
Due to the ongoing investigation, police declined to release the man’s name.
Police said the arrest, which was announced Thursday, came after a months-long investigation. Despite a suspect being in custody, police asked residents to avoid using the blue boxes or personal mailboxes to mail financial checks and other sensitive information.
They suggested the following safety tips.
- Make the payment online or in person, especially for large amounts, such as property taxes
- Put tracking information on your payment
- If you can’t obtain tracking, place the check in an inside drop box
- Follow up to confirm that the entity has received your payment
Earlier this month, Boulder Police said they had taken multiple reports about checks being stolen from the blue boxes and said the amount stolen topped $300,000.
Many of the stolen checks were headed to or coming from the IRS or the Boulder County Treasurer’s Office. Police said thieves were even changing the amounts on some of the checks.
If you think you might have been a victim, contact the Boulder Police non-emergency dispatch at 303-441-3333 or file a report online.
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