ST. LOUIS — A blue mail collection box in South St. Louis was left wide open. Now, people in the area are concerned about mail security.
"You just have to be well informed to know that there's a problem," Smothers said.
Jim Smothers, The Hill resident say there's a mail problem in their neighborhood.
Barb Giudici gave 5 On Your Side permission to use photos she took of a blue mailbox at the corner of Wilson and Sublette avenues wide open this week.
Giudici didn't want to talk on camera but says it's not the first time it's happened.
She's even gone to lengths of putting signs on the blue box to warn her neighbors to not use it after trying to send a check for $28 and it being washed for $3,000 by thieves.
5 On Your Side's Diamond Palmer checked the blue mailbox Thursday afternoon and it was locked.
Her neighbor, Smothers says he too has distrust in the blue boxes.
"I don't send anything through the mail, I do it through technology at the bank and I just don't mail checks because I know about that now," Smothers said.
Frank Albergo serves as National President for the Postal Police Officers Association (PPOA), says officers that protect letter carriers have been reduced by the U.S Postal Service for years.
He says the root of the issue are thieves targeting carriers to steal arrow keys to the boxes.
"Most likely, some criminal has the arrow key to that box, and they stole mail. And they left it open," Albergo said.
The U.S. Postal Service says in the first half of 2023 there were 25,000 mail theft incidents.
Albergo says it puts people's personal information at a greater risk especially during the holiday season.
"So whoever mailed a letter in that box? It's gone now. If it were a check, then they have a problem, because that check is going to be washed or counterfeited, and it will be cashed," Albergo said.
Albergo told 5 On Your Side something needs to be done, because it's 'getting out of hand'.
"Senator Durbin has introduced a bill in the Senate, the Postal Police Reform Act. It would allow the postal service to deploy postal police officers to protect letter carries to protect the mail. It's just common sense," Albergo said.
"We as people in the community have to be involved as much as we can and pay attention, protect our neighbors and watch what's going on," Smothers said.
5 On Your Side reached out to the U.S. Postal Service for comment asking why the blue box was left open and were told the Inspection Service would reach out with information.
We are still awaiting their response.