{"id":352102,"date":"2023-08-10T12:33:39","date_gmt":"2023-08-10T17:33:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/mail-theft.html"},"modified":"2025-11-18T14:13:38","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T19:13:38","slug":"mail-theft","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/mail-theft.html","title":{"rendered":"Mail Theft Charges and Penalties"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Mail Theft Charges and Penalties<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Susan Buckner, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Laura Temme, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n

Mail theft<\/span> is the federal crime<\/span> of taking, stealing, or removing mail from mailboxes, post offices<\/span>, or mail carriers<\/span>. It\u2019s punishable by up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines. This offense includes destroying mail, tampering<\/span> with mailboxes, and obtaining stolen mail<\/span>. Package theft can be a federal charge if USPS<\/span> delivered it. Private carrier packages are usually prosecuted under state theft laws.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The United States Postal Service<\/span> (USPS<\/span>) is a\u00a0federal agency, which makes\u00a0stealing mail<\/span>\u00a0a\u00a0federal offense. Mail theft<\/span>, which is a felony, is the act of taking mail from someone else\u2019s letter box<\/span>, post office<\/span> box, or corner mail receptacle<\/span>. You can also be guilty of <\/span>mail theft<\/span> if you destroy mail or mailboxes, or interfere with a mail carrier<\/span> or their mail route<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Mail theft<\/span> laws have expanded to include stealing packages left by Amazon and other delivery services, such as UPS. While so-called \u201cporch pirates\u201d do not steal mail in the traditional sense, packages delivered by the USPS<\/span> could be a federal offense as well as a state crime.<\/p>\n

In this article, we\u2019ll explain what mail theft<\/span> is, how it extends to package theft, and the potential penalties for this criminal charge. This can include jail time<\/span> in a federal prison<\/span>.<\/p>\n

What Is Mail Theft<\/span>?<\/h2>\n

According to federal law<\/span><\/a>, mail theft<\/span> is taking, stealing, or removing any letter, postal card<\/span>, or package from any authorized depository<\/span> (mailbox, post office<\/span>, letter carrier, etc.). Mail theft<\/span> also includes obtaining items you know were stolen, taking or keeping them under false pretenses<\/span>, or destroying or tampering<\/span> with mail or mail depositories.<\/p>\n

Mail theft<\/span> is a crime often connected to other criminal activities. Mail thieves seldom steal advertisements or other useless pieces of mail<\/span>. They look for specific items and use them for other types of financial crimes. Common crimes stemming from mail theft<\/span> may include:<\/p>\n