Neighbors in Tampa Heights say a rash of mail thefts in just two weeks has them on edge.
Alicia Deer caught a stranger on home surveillance camera going onto her porch, first going through her mail and removing two letters from her post office box.
?“You got my property," she said. "But now, you have my sensitive personal information.?"
But it doesn't stop there. The man soon decides to leave her letters behind on the porch and then picks up an Amazon package and walks away with it.
?“Yeah, it was a little bit disturbing that broad daylight," Deer said. "Very comfortably, just meandering, you know around my front porch! Just going through my mail!?"
U.S. Postal Inspectors say while mail thefts overall across the United States remain about the same, they have seen two Tampa neighborhoods recently hit by mail theft. In one of the cases, kids were responsible.
Tampa Police say leaving packages out n the open can draw in people like the man seen on Deer's porch.
So far, there have been 14 reported mail thefts by Tampa Police in 2017.
If a person is caught stealing mail, the charges they face depend on the value of the contents of the mail or package.
Tampa Police also say you should have packages delivered at a time when you’re at home.
Failing that, have it delivered to a trusted neighbor or to one of those businesses where you can get mail delivered to.
Also, Amazon offers a service where they provide locked delivery boxesaround the city to address the problem.
