The Lochwood Neighborhood Association is among several communities throughout San Antonio that’ve been targeted by mail thieves repeatedly.
SAN ANTONIO — Texas lawmakers are pushing a new bill that aims to hold mail thieves accountable, which includes adding an offense for those who steal mail keys and locks.
“I’m really trying to give law enforcement the tools they need to stop bad behavior,” said State Sen. Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound. “I believe when we have strong laws on the books, that will deter criminal activity.”
Senate Bill 1281 proposes expanding upon current statutes to include mail that’s in transit and when the intent of the theft is to steal items such as checks, credit cards and money orders that could be used to carry out fraudulent activities.
Offenders could face varying degrees of felonies as a result.
“Of course that kind of fraud is costing Texas hundreds of millions of dollars a year, not to mention individual consumers, businesses,” Parker said.
The Lochwood Neighborhood Association is just one of several communities throughout the San Antonio area that’ve experienced mail theft.
Marty Menchaca, who’s lived in the neighborhood for more than 30 years, welcomes any legislation that could potentially deter such crimes.
“I hope it passes and discourages people from stealing our mail and hurting our neighbors financially,” Menchaca said. “I know neighbors have been hurt with credit cards being stolen and running up charges.”
The association invested in cameras following an initial story with KENS 5 in December. By early January, thieves were caught in the act, busting through the back of the cluster mailboxes and scooping up every letter and parcel possible.
“It looked like the fella just had a key and just opened up the back of the mailbox,” Menchaca said.
Another key part of SB 1281 would establish an offense for individuals who possess and or duplicate a U.S. Postal Service receptacle key or lock “with the intent to harm, defraud, or deprive another of that’s person’s property,” according to legislative documents.
“PO boxes that you see in front of apartment communities or many neighborhoods or so forth. It’s a third degree felony for the first occasion. On a repeat occasion, it would be a second degree felony,” Parker said.
Parker expects the bill to be heard on the Senate floor within the next few weeks.