Sacramento leaders say mail theft is at ‘epidemic proportions.’ Here’s why
Sacramento leaders gathered near a mailbox in North Natomas on Friday morning to discuss the widespread issues in how the U.S. Postal Service tracks and safeguards mailboxes.
“This has been going on (by) really epidemic proportions in the last few years,” said Rep. Ami Bera, D-Sacramento, at the press conference.
Friday’s press conference follows last month’s audit by the Office of Inspector General on the deficiencies at three postal offices in Sacramento County — the Sacramento Main Post Office, the Fort Sutter Station and the Rancho Cordova Post Office. The postal service processed more than three billion pieces of mail volume in the Sacramento area in fiscal year 2024, according to the audit.
The audit found that there were systemic problems including missing and unaccounted-for arrow keys and inadequate oversight in the region.
Arrow keys are universal keys used by USPS to open mail collection boxes, outdoor parcel lockers and cluster box units. Mail carriers use these keys for their delivery routines every day, but thieves routinely steal them and use them to open mail boxes.
The audit found a lack of accountability for these keys. In October 2024, 88% of the arrow keys were not scanned for at Sacramento’s Main Post Office. Between all three of the post offices investigated, 153 arrow keys were missing or could not be verified.
“We can’t address it if our postal service is not tracking those keys,” said Sacramento Councilmember Lisa Kaplan, who represents North Natomas. “If those keys can be used for a free-for-all now, all of a sudden, we’re not worried about damaged mailboxes because they’re just coming in and stealing the mail every day.”
On Friday, Bera said he will continue to push to modernize mail boxes and hold the postal inspector generals accountable.
Bera requested the USPS audit after hearing frustration from “a large number of residents.” He also plans to share the audit with the 51 other California members of Congress.
“If it’s not just one member of Congress, but 52 of us, all in California, Democrats and Republicans,” Bera said. “That’s going to speak with a much louder voice. So that is the next step. It’s not unique to us.”
Residents are encouraged to pick up their mail daily, not place mail in outgoing boxes and report mail theft to Sacramento Police and USPS.
This story was originally published April 4, 2025 at 4:32 PM.
