Seized checks and credit cards. Photo by BPD.
Boston Police report arresting teens from Roslindale, Dorchester and Roxbury on charges they lifted envelopes from a mailbox outside the Green Street T station this morning.
Police say officers alerted by a 911 call rushed to the area shortly before 7 a.m., just in time to see the four drive away. The officers quickly stopped the car:
Upon discovering that the operator of the vehicle was unlicensed and did not possess a valid driver’s license, officers instructed all occupants of the car to vacate the vehicle. While the occupants were exiting the vehicle, officers observed several pieces of torn-open mail, numerous credit cards, checks and other evidence on the rear passenger floor of the car
Carlos Delossantos, 18, of Roslindale, and three 17-year-olds too young to have their names released, were charged with larceny over $250, police say.
In recent months, the USPS has been replacing older mailboxes, which make it easy to install sticky tape with which to grab mail, with newer models harder to tamper with.
Innocent, etc.
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Comments
“ We ain't going to the party...
By Andrew
Mon, 01/20/2020 - 6:52pm
We ain't going to the game
We ain't going to the disco
Ain't gonna cruise down Main...”
What school had classes today?
By GFN
Mon, 01/20/2020 - 7:18pm
Is this something Rachael Rollins can give them a pass on? Probably not their fault because they were just stealing shit that other people worked hard for.
Out of Rollins' playbook
By GFN
Mon, 01/20/2020 - 7:33pm
No longer a crime in her eyes
Receiving stolen property
Minor driving offenses, including operating with a suspend or revoked license
Good thing she won't need to prosecute trespassing
By fungwah
Tue, 01/21/2020 - 1:05pm
since she's apparently living rent-free in all of your heads.
Federal offense
By Daan
Mon, 01/20/2020 - 7:36pm
So complain to U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, Andrew Lelling.
Why would I
By GFN
Mon, 01/20/2020 - 7:46pm
complain to him, he will probably do his job
Better then that you whine
By whoops
Mon, 01/20/2020 - 10:23pm
Better then that you whine about Rollins when it isn't her job.
Good approach.
Is driving without
By GFN
Tue, 01/21/2020 - 6:35am
a licence Rollins' job?
No, it isn't
By perruptor
Tue, 01/21/2020 - 6:46am
She's a DA. Prosecuting crimes is her job. Is driving without a license your job?
We have the highest
By anon
Tue, 01/21/2020 - 6:43am
We have the highest incarceration rate in the world, by a huge margin.
Clearly we don't have an issue with "giving people passes."
I'm disappointed in our
By anon
Mon, 01/20/2020 - 11:39pm
I'm disappointed in our society about this. The current design of mailboxes has been around for about 70 years (the year is usually stamped into the metal). But we can no longer be trusted with them, and now need something more tamper-proof.
There was no school yesterday
By anon
Tue, 01/21/2020 - 6:43am
There was no school yesterday because of the MLK holiday. ???
Yes
By adamg
Tue, 01/21/2020 - 8:17am
Editor hangs head in shame, fixes dumb mistake.
OK, school me
By Gary C
Tue, 01/21/2020 - 8:13am
Can someone kindly explain A) How they get into the box to steal stuff and B) What value there is in checks made out to Verizon (etc) or new credit cards that haven't been activated. Just trying to understand the criminal mind. Thanks.
My uncle was a state cop, I'd
By anon
Tue, 01/21/2020 - 8:27am
My uncle was a state cop, I'd ask him stuff like this from time to time and his answer was "We usually don't catch the smart ones. "
Numbers
By BostonDog
Tue, 01/21/2020 - 9:01am
Checking account numbers can be used to make electronic withdrawals from the account. It's pretty amazing checks are used at all since it's so easy to use the number in malicious ways.
Credit cards can sometimes be activated just by calling the number without other account info and since the number + checksum is otherwise valid they might be able to use it with a merchant who doesn't process the entire transaction before giving the person the item.
Or the kids will just sell the cards to someone for a few bucks claiming it's valid.
The kids aren't getting much but they will make life hell for someone who finds themselves arguing with Verizon about an unpaid bill and with their bank about unauthorized transactions.
Sticky coathanger will defeat mailbox security
By O-FISH-L
Tue, 01/21/2020 - 12:06pm
Not sure about the new mailboxes but the "security" of the old ones can be defeated with a simple flexible wand like a coathanger attached to something sticky. Then it's basically "fishing" for the envelopes. It happens quite a bit.
Apparently this is a genuine trend
By uhub-fan
Tue, 01/21/2020 - 8:33am
One of my clients had a check to me stolen from his mailbox in California, and the USPS has been putting stickers on the mailboxes warning people not to deposit checks in street boxes overnight.
Take it seriously folks: if you're sending a check, drop it off inside the post office. Or if you're going to use a street box, do it some time soon before the pick-up time for that day.
Ohhhh so that's why
By MissDee
Tue, 01/21/2020 - 9:40am
I rarely use snail mail so I was quite confused when I did need to mail something about a week ago and couldn't figure out why I couldn't pull the handle open & toss my mail in. I know I looked like an idiot standing there until I read the notice and figured where/how to insert my envelope. Sad.
This is stolen from those
By anon
Tue, 01/21/2020 - 9:11pm
This is stolen from those blue mailbox drops? The checks I get but why are people mailing credit cards? I’m sure I’m missing some simple explanation.
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