West Leechburg officials warn public of mail theft in the borough

West Leechburg officials issued a warning online Friday to residents about recent tampering with outbound mail and stolen checks.

In a post made Friday around noon to the West Leechburg Borough Facebook page, officials asked residents to monitor their bank accounts for what they said is suspicious activity regarding multiple outgoing letters discovered along streets that were ripped opened, some with personal checks removed.

The affected streets are Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Summit and Giron streets, according to Mayor Steve Yenchi.

Resident Nathaniel Huebert, a Main Street resident and pastor, said he is concerned.

“It does bother me because mail is being disturbed. I do a lot of banking online, but I think a lot of my neighbors still send checks in the mail,” Huebert said.

Huebert moved to West Leechburg from North Dakota last year.

“It really surprises me because, since I moved here, the borough has been quiet,” he said.

Yenchi said Friday the borough hasn’t experienced mail theft and tampering of this nature before.

The mayor said borough workers found numerous pieces of mail scattered about the streets Friday morning

Yenchi advises residents to not use their private mailboxes, for now, during the investigation and to report any suspicious mail activity or theft to 911.

“It did happen, and residents are advised to put a stop (no payment) on checks they may have placed in the mail recently,” Yenchi said.

In a followup post Friday afternoon on the borough’s Facebook page, officials said the postmaster will contact affected residents, adding they can’t guarantee that all of the mail will be found.

According to the U.S. Postal Service website, here’s what to do if mail has been stolen from your mailbox: notify local police, place your mail on hold until you repair or replace your mailbox and report your mail theft to the Postal Service.

Yenchi said the Postal Service is investigating.