Neighbors in an Encinitas neighborhood are hoping surveillance video will help capture a possible serial mail thief.
Keith Schiller says his wife was sleeping on Friday when she heard a noise outside a little past 3 a.m.
“She came out to look at the window and she saw a truck opening up the mailboxes,” said Schiller.
A neighbor’s surveillance video shows part of what she saw: a pickup driving down Robert Lane and stopping at a group of mailboxes.
“In the morning she came out and saw all the mailboxes were open up and down the cul-de-sac, absolutely nothing in them,” said Schiller.
On the ground she found a lot of opened mail.
“One guy canceled a Mastercard or Visa because he was expecting it in the mail,” said Schiller.
Across the street, Steve McDonald discovered his mailbox open.
Nothing was missing this time. He said he had taken in his mail right after it was delivered, because a month ago, his mailbox had been targeted.
“I went to open my mailbox as normal. I saw a fairly big plastic bag,” said McDonald.
He says the package was sliced open. A 3-month supply of prescription drugs was taken out. The bag was stuffed right back into the mailbox.
Just four weeks later, the same mailbox was found open again.
“I think they may be connected definitely. Anytime something like your mail is violated, it’s personal,” said McDonald.
If you have information on the incidents you are asked to call the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
