Bill Reintroduced to Shield People from Mail Theft

Rep. Calvert Reintroduces Bill to Protect Americans from Mail Theft

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Residents in the Coachella Valley, Riverside County and throughout the Inland Empire have recently become victims of mail theft.

Consider that on Jan. 4, 2023, a Riverside County man was arrested on after he was allegedly involved in two robberies of USPS letter carriers. On Dec. 5, 2022, two men were arrested in Chino Hills for stealing mail from Inland Empire residents. On Aug. 17, 2022, two individuals in Rancho Mirage were arrested for multiple mail theft incidents in the city.

To that end, on Tuesday, Jan. 24, Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-41) reintroduced the Ensuring the Safety Our Mail Act, H.R. 446, which aims to protect Americans from the rise in mail theft by enhancing penalties for convicted mail thieves.

“Americans continue to suffer from dramatic increases in mail theft here in the Inland Empire and around the country,” said Rep. Calvert. “It’s clear we must send a stronger message and have a more effective deterrent for would-be mail thieves. That’s why I have introduced the Ensuring the Safety of Our Mail Act, which would double the jail time for anyone convicted of mail theft. I am committed to ensuring Americans can rely on the safe and secure delivery of their mail.”

The Safety Our Mail Act will double the maximum jail sentence for anyone convicted of stealing mail. In the past few years, Rep. Calvert’s office has assisted hundreds of constituents with solen mail issues, including the theft of dozens of cluster boxes. Currently, the maximum jail sentence for anyone convicted of mail theft is five years under Section 1708 of Title 18 of the U.S. Code.  The Ensuring the Safety Our Mail Act increases the maximum jail sentence to ten years.