US Postal Service taking new steps to prevent carrier robberies, stolen mail

By DAVID SHARP
Associated Press

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The U.S. Postal Service is replacing thousands of antiquated keys used by postal carriers and installing thousands of high-security collection boxes to stop a surge in robberies and mail thefts. The Postal Service announced Friday that it is replacing 49,000 so-called arrow keys with electronic versions to make them less attractive to criminals who have been using them to steal mail from secure receptacles. They’re also placing 12,000 hardened blue collection boxes in high-risk areas. The announcement came days after the National Association of Letter Carriers expressed outrage as The Associated Press reported nearly 500 postal carriers were robbed last year.