A criminal investigation is happening at a Jacksonville post office.
After multiple customers told Action News Jax the checks and money orders they mailed at a Moncrief post office disappeared, the United States Postal Inspection Service confirmed it is investigating reports of mail theft at that location.
Customers told Action News Jax they put their missing mail in a locked drive-through mailbox at the post office on 1440 Edgewood Avenue West.
“I work two jobs, and it’s frustrating to have someone stealing from you when I work hard,” said one customer, who asked not to be named because she fears retaliation from the thief.
After all, they already have her address.
She said she put a $10 check to the hospital in the drive-through mailbox last month.
She said the envelope made it clear there was a bill payment inside.
A few days later, she saw an $800 withdrawal from her account.
“Someone basically took a check that I mailed a couple of weeks ago and altered it, forged it to have cash sent out to them,” she said. “It was my signature, but the amount, the ‘pay to’ was changed and the account number where I entered in, it was blanked out in white-out.”
Another customer told Action News Jax that three money orders she put in the same mailbox never made it to their destinations, either.
“I can confirm that the United States Postal Inspection Service is aware of mail theft reported at the listed location and is conducting an ongoing criminal investigation into the matter,” U.S. Postal Inspector Adam Schaefer said.
The customer who said her check was forged said she questions whether it’s an inside job.
“Because who else would have access to the post office? You know, the box is locked,” she said. “I will never mail any other bills using the post office.”
Action News Jax reporter Jenna Bourne went inside the post office to find out more about who has access to the key for the locked mailbox. An employee told Bourne that management would not speak to her and asked her to leave.