Getting Answers : How Can We Prevent Mail Theft? : BETTY FREEMAN, Sherman Oaks

Marshal Dillon, we need you! The West gets wilder every day. Bank robberies, freeway shootouts and now mail thefts! Not just in the big city or the industrial part of town. Here in Sherman Oaks, a residential neighborhood with cul de sacs where children play stick hockey in the street and folks walk their dogs, their babies and each other.

On Oct. 1, in full view of the neighborhood, someone broke into a locked mail truck and grabbed the mail. In less than 10 minutes, the time it took our mailman to deliver to houses in one block, the job was done. The thieves were gone. No trace left but broken glass and empty mail bags.

In the early evening, about four weeks later, there was a knock on the door. Standing on the porch was a woman named Maria, her two little girls and a man she called her brother. “Can we come in and talk to you?” she asked.

With her broken English, my minimal Spanish and translations from her brother, the story was told.

Maria sold gold jewelry. One customer, a man who always pays cash, brought a new buyer to her home. The woman paid with two checks. She endorsed them with my name. The next day, Maria took the checks to her bank to deposit in her account.

“They took the checks but wouldn’t give me credit. The teller said the signature didn’t look right.”

“How did they know?” I asked.

“Computers,” her brother answered.

I nodded. I have great respect for computers.

Maria said, “She told me I must come tell you.”

That night they had driven over 40 miles to find us, all the way from their home in Huntington Beach. I felt sorry for Maria.

My question is, how can I, and everyone else, protect our mail?

PAMELA L. PRINCE; Postal Inspector, Los Angeles Division, Pasadena

The Postal Service emphasizes crime awareness and prevention by having inspectors and other postal managers speak with our employees, as well as to Neighborhood Watch groups, and we appreciate opportunities like this column to reach local residents. The Postal Service offers rewards for information and services leading to the arrest and conviction of mail thieves for postal-related crimes. Anyone with information that may help us solve any postal crime, or find suspects, is urged to call our 24-hour number, (818) 405-1200. Postal customers who are victims of mail theft may also call this number to file a complaint.

What can citizens do to prevent mail theft?

* Be observant of activities on your street, particularly around your letter carrier’s normal delivery time. Thieves don’t want witnesses and will leave your neighborhood.

* Immediately report all suspicious activities by calling 911, the postal inspectors and your local post office.

* Be a good witness. Record suspect and vehicle descriptions, as well as license plate numbers. If you really want to get into the act, point your camcorder in the direction of on-going crimes, and capture thieves on film.

* Arrange for direct deposit of your checks directly from the sender into your bank account, via wire systems or computer entry. Thieves haven’t quite figured out yet how to overcome these systems.

* Arrange for your mail to be delivered directly into a post office box (not a box at a private mail receiving agency). This way, your mail will not be subject to attack in a delivery vehicle.

* Do not leave your mail unattended for long periods of time in an unlocked mailbox. Contact your local post office to arrange for a locked mailbox unit to be installed in your neighborhood.

* Write out in full the “payee” on your checks and fill up as much of the line as possible. It is easier for a forger to erase or alter initials such as DMV, GTE, GMAC, AMEX, etc., than to erase and alter a longer, non-abbreviated name. Also, complete the “amount” sections and “check memo” portion in full, rather than abbreviating.

* Join a Neighborhood Watch program.