Observing Postman’s Appointed Rounds : Theft: With the recession has come a gradual increase in mail thievery. Vigilance is the best deterrent, the Postal Service says.

Fed up with having her mail stolen, a San Fernando Valley woman recently caught the thieves on video and turned the tape over to postal inspectors.

U.S. Postal Service authorities subsequently identified and arrested the suspects, who now are awaiting trial. They could get some pretty hefty sentences if convicted: For stealing mail or possessing such, the penalty is a $2,000 fine and/or imprisonment for up to five years--for each piece of mail.

Although mail theft is an ongoing problem, authorities say, there has been a rash of it in several L.A. neighborhoods--including the Valley, Hollywood, mid-Wilshire and West Los Angeles--and Orange County.

Postal inspectors report that they are investigating mail thefts from residential, curbside mailboxes and from letter carriers or their vehicles before delivery.

Thieves in Hollywood stole two equity checks from an actor, a Social Security check from a retiree and a businessman’s MasterCard, to which they charged merchandise worth $5,000. They have not yet been apprehended.

Two weeks ago, inspectors arrested a man and charged him with possession of about 200 pieces of mail that had been stolen at gunpoint from a West L.A. letter carrier.

A day later, authorities arrested another suspect in a bank parking lot on 103rd Street. He had seven federal checks totaling $2,353.54 that had been stolen from another West L.A. carrier.

And, officials caught a man and woman after they had sprayed Mace on a mid-Wishire mail carrier and got away with about 500 pieces of mail.

“With the recession, we’ve seen a gradual increase in mail theft in certain Los Angeles areas and in Orange County,” says Pamela Prince, postal inspector and information officer for the Los Angeles Division of the Postal Inspection Service, the federal law enforcement arm of the Postal Service. “As time goes on and people get more desperate, the thefts increase.”

Mail thieves are usually looking for credit cards or government checks, says Prince, so they often hit neighborhoods at the first of the month when U.S. Treasury or state checks are delivered.

Impressed with help the Postal Service received from the Valley homeowner’s videotape, David H. Smith, chief of Los Angeles postal inspectors, included the use of video cameras in recent postal inspectors’ tips to prevent mail theft:

“If you really want to ‘get into the act’ and you own a video recorder, point it in the direction of your mailbox or letter carrier’s vehicle to capture the crimes in progress on film. It is recommended if you choose to do this that you keep any such equipment indoors for protection and security.”

Vigilance is the best deterrent to thwarting mail thieves, Smith says, so residents should look for any suspicious activity in their neighborhoods, “observing persons watching or following the letter carrier, or loitering around the mailboxes or near the letter carrier’s vehicle.”

Residents also should become familiar with their letter carrier’s normal delivery time and remove mail as soon as possible. It’s not a good idea, says Smith, to leave your outgoing mail in an unlocked box. It’s safer to place it in a locked U.S. Postal box for carrier pickup.

“Never endanger your safety,” says Smith, “but if you can, record information about the suspects’ vehicles, including license plates, suspects’ descriptions, manner of operation, etc. . . . The best thing you can be is a good witness.”

If you observe anyone stealing mail, first report it to local police, then call postal inspectors at (818) 405-1200. They investigate thefts in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

“We try to work closely with local law enforcement,” says Prince. “Their response time is better and they have a better chance of getting there when the thieves are still in the neighborhood. After that, we take over the investigation.”

And, promptly report non-receipt of credit cards, checks and other valuable items to the senders.

Authorities say the cheapest remedy to keep thieves out of your home mailbox is to install a key padlock (about $4) or a combination lock (about $6). But the box must have a separate slot large enough for the letter carrier to deposit all mail without having to open it.

If you don’t have a secure box, consider buying one. They range in price from $10 (without padlock) to $40 at most hardware stores and home centers.

Or, you and neighbors can request the Postal Service install a Neighborhood Delivery and Collection Box Unit (NDCBU) that will hold mail in separate boxes for the neighborhood. The Postal Service will install these locked and vandal-resistant units at no charge and maintain them as well.

Renting a mailbox at your local post office is another option. The four differently sized boxes range in price from $17.50 to $77.50 for a six-month term.