Chelan County Sheriff’s Office Investigating Uptick in Mail Thefts

The Chelan County Sheriff's Office is investigating the theft of 151 pieces of stolen mail from various parts of the county, with the Cashmere area hit over the weekend.

Chief Jason Reinfeld says mail theft is not necessarily anything new, but they've seen an uptick in recent weeks possibly because of what's expected this week.

"They may, at this point, be looking for stimulus checks, but anything where they can get personal information or potentially a check is what someone is going to be after."

The thieves then dump the mail they don't want, oftentimes just on the side of the road.

Reinfeld says there are some steps you can take to lower your risk.

"Make sure to not leave your mail sitting in the mailbox for an excessive period of time. If you're going to be out of town, have a neighbor check it if you trust them. If you know a package is coming try to be there to receive it, or soon after to get it off your front porch. One of the best ways overall is to get a locking mailbox."

If you see a suspicious vehicle, contact RiverCom at (509) 663-9911, or the anonymous tip line at (509) 667-6845.

Any information you can get about the vehicle is also helpful.