Crime costing residents thousands; Years of mail theft and no solutions for Beechnut neighborhood

Residents are fed up

What we know:

HOUSTON - Residents in the Crescent Park neighborhood off Beechnut in West Houston say their mail is being stolen on a regular basis, and it's been happening for years.

Photos time stamped from January 2023 show wide open cluster mailboxes, ransacked and empty. The photos show the same issue persisting through 2023, 2024, and now, into this new year. 

"It's been reported since 2023 and no one is doing anything to solve the problem," said Lilia Medrano, the HOA president. 

Medrano says she's reached out to the United States Postal Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the sheriff's office and city officials. 

"Every other day, it's a big problem over - every other day they're open," she said. 

Residents say they estimate about seven mailboxes are being hit, and they've been broken into hundreds of times over the past two years.

At what cost? :

"Recently our bank card was stolen," said resident Nobin Easowjohn. He says the $2,000 to $3,000 spent on the stolen card, he hasn't gotten back. 

"My wife all her info was stolen, they opened credit cards in different stores," said another resident, Eliseo. He estimates the fraud has cost him and his wife $5,000 to $6,000. 

We've brought you reports before explaining that these cluster mailboxes are opened by a master key. And, that Houston postal carriers have been robbed for these keys in the past, one happened just last week. 

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The other side:

FOX 26 reached out to USPIS asking about these Crescent Park mail thefts. They responded saying:

"The Houston Division of the Postal Inspection Service is aware of and is actively investigating mail thefts stemming from break-ins to community mailboxes around the 12900 block of Birchaven Lane, Houston, TX. 

I can confirm that postal inspectors of the Houston Division have actively worked with local law enforcement to conduct active law enforcement activities in the area. Postal inspectors have been in communication with USPS management and the community, including the HOA.  

The Beechnut area was identified as being an area where electronic locks are being installed. For security reasons, the location of the electronic locks will not be disclosed.

The Postal Inspection Service routinely receives complaints from members of the public. We do not confirm, deny, or otherwise comment on the existence of ongoing investigations. As this is an active investigation, the Postal Inspection Service cannot provide additional information."

Residents claim they've been waiting on electric mail locks for years, and now they want a better solution. 

"We want individual mailboxes," said Medrano. 

"This situation has been since last year, and nothing has been done, so I want to say to authorities - take care of this matter," said Eliseo. 

USPIS included these recommendations in their response:

• Don’t let incoming mail sit in your mailbox. Postal inspectors recommend checking your mailbox every day and removing your mail as promptly as possible.
• When expecting a package delivery, track the shipment at www.usps.com. In addition, you can also sign up for email and text alerts at www.usps.com.
• If you are not home when your mail or parcels are expected to be delivered, ask a trusted neighbor to pick up your mail. If you’ll be away for an extended period, another great option is to have the Post Office hold your mail while you’re away. You can request this online at www.usps.com.
• If you do not receive a check or other valuable mail you’re expecting, contact the issuing agency.
• If you change your address, immediately notify your Post Office and anyone with whom you do business via the mail.
• Hand outgoing mail to your letter carrier or mail it inside your local Post Office for maximum security.

They say customers who believe they may be the victim of mail theft should report it to their local police and to the Postal Inspection Service by calling their hotline at 877-876-2455 or visiting their website at USPIS.gov/report.