Thieves Target Church Mailboxes, Steal Thousands

Thieves have stolen thousands of dollars from churches by taking donation checks from their mailboxes and cashing them. In May 2021, authorities broke up a theft ring accused of stealing more than $740,000 from 636 churches. Based in Orlando, Florida, the group of thieves traveled throughout other states to steal checks from church mailboxes.

Two ministries in Austin, Texas, are taking steps to better secure their mail after thieves stole checks worth more than $12,000 from their church mailboxes in 2019. Both have installed locked mailboxes and are using more caution with outgoing payments.

Does your ministry still use a traditional mailbox? Look into the benefits of switching to a secure mailbox or a post office box. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service offers these additional steps to guard against mail theft:

• Promptly pick up mail. Try not to leave it in your mailbox for any length of time.
• Deposit mail close to pick-up time. Deposit outgoing mail into a USPS blue collection box or inside your local post office.
• Inquire about overdue mail. If you don’t receive a check, credit card, or other valuable mail you’re expecting, contact the sender as soon as possible and inquire about it.

How well does your ministry secure its money? Take our fraud prevention quiz.

Posted 2019. Updated June 9, 2021.

The information provided in this article is intended to be helpful, but it does not constitute legal advice and is not a substitute for the advice from a licensed attorney in your area. We strongly encourage you to regularly consult with a local attorney as part of your risk management program.