WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Junction Post Office mailbox stolen

Thanks to everybody who tipped us today that the West Seattle Junction Post Office‘s parking-lot mailbox had disappeared. All that’s left in its place – bolts. Took us all day but we now have confirmation from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service that the disappearance is a case of theft: “We do believe the box was stolen overnight. We are working on the investigation of the theft,” Postal Inspector John Wiegand tells WSB – no other details so far. Meantime, USPS regional spokesperson Kim Frum told us it will be replaced, but she doesn’t have a timeline yet. It’s been seven months since this mailbox and its counterpart outside the Westwood Village Post Office were both downsized – to what were described at the time as more-secure mailboxes. This isn’t the first time thieves have taken an entire West Seattle USPS box – consider the saga of the Admiral/Belvidere box that’s been stolen twice.

jim November 28, 2023 (6:08 pm)

I always walk inside the post office at westwood

David November 28, 2023 (6:30 pm)

Same here. The few times I need to send mail I take it inside the westwood USPS station and deposit it in the mail slot. I don’t trust those blue boxes with my mail. They get or broken into way too often.

Clark November 28, 2023 (6:19 pm)

Does anyone know the last time it was emptied of mail? I left a letter in it yesterday afternoon…

CarDriver November 28, 2023 (6:30 pm)

I believe the last pickup time was 3pm.
- PSPS November 28, 2023 (10:16 pm)
  
  Their last pickup time posted on the mailbox for weekdays is 5 PM. On Saturday, it’s 3 PM.

WSB November 28, 2023 (6:33 pm)

5 pm is the “last collection time” mentioned on the USPS page for this location (also linked in first line above)
https://tools.usps.com/find-location.htm?location=1387184

Roddy3 November 28, 2023 (6:47 pm)

Are there any cameras outside the building?

Eddie November 28, 2023 (6:58 pm)

Everybody raves about Airatags. Maybe they should have put one in the mailbox so they can track it down.

Mellow Kitty November 30, 2023 (3:07 pm)

A simple yet elegant solution. I like it.

WSDAD November 28, 2023 (7:04 pm)

That has to be a federal offence.

Eddie November 28, 2023 (7:10 pm)

They had plywood covering one of their doors today as well.

WSB November 28, 2023 (7:22 pm)

That’s been there at least a few days – a reader pointed it out but I couldn’t find a police report number so I don’t know whether it was burglary or vandalism (there are still scattered rock-throwing incidents reported in business areas). I asked USPS while trying to get confirmation of this but they wouldn’t comment on anything except to say the “missing” mailbox would be replaced. – TR

Also John November 28, 2023 (7:16 pm)

WTH???? That was a decent sized mailbox. The thieves couldn’t fit that in one of the countless stolen Kia or Hyundai’s. God forbid they had to use their own vehicle.

Pat November 28, 2023 (7:19 pm)

Any word on what happened to cause one of the front doors to be be covered with plywood?

Dave November 28, 2023 (7:21 pm)

Vandals damaged our blocks Cluster Box (holds our mail as well as 15 neighbors) back the end of last March. And the great Postal Service still has not replaced it. So we all have to visit the Post Office to get our mail….for 8 months now. So fun standing in line for at least 20 minutes to get it..Same vandalism at our snow bird retreat to our cluster mail box there… and our HOA replaced it in TWO weeks.

Rmk November 29, 2023 (8:44 am)

You could probably redirect all your mail to a friend’s house. I know on long vacations we can
Brian November 29, 2023 (9:32 am)

Sounds like you’d be more at home at your secondary residence so just live there full time then.
- Alki resident November 29, 2023 (9:30 pm)
  
  Why should he move? What kind of neighbor are you? Do better
- Wow November 30, 2023 (8:36 am)
  
  Wow Brian, what a dismissive and nasty thing to say. There’s nothing wrong with expressing frustration over something like that. It’s reasonable to expect the postal service to achieve a decent operational standard. Do you really think it would be better for our society to just crumble into complete disrepair, while we wait for some utopian solution to present itself?

Chuck November 28, 2023 (7:41 pm)

Sadly this isn’t the first time this box has been taken out of service, as well as the box at Westwood Village. Then many many months of no mailbox while the damaged box is being repaired. I can’t understand why the USPS facilities dept doesn’t have a couple of these boxes ready and available to deploy immediately when one is damaged or stolen. How about running your business like a business.

WSB November 28, 2023 (8:04 pm)

We’ve reported extensively on the mailbox problems at both post offices (and some streetcorner boxes too) – go to Google Image Search and put in mailbox westseattleblog.com and you’ll see many photos and links (that’s what we did to dig up the link toward the end of this story). Good news is that while it used to take months, more recently replacements have tended to be much quicker – so here’s hoping.

Marina November 28, 2023 (8:34 pm)

Now they done it. Federal crimes usually involve prison time in addition to the fine.

Rhonda November 28, 2023 (8:59 pm)

Reason #469 why 100% vote-by-mail is a bad idea.

1994 November 28, 2023 (9:17 pm)

You can drop your ballot off inside the post office, doesn’t have to go in a blue drop box. Or you can drop your ballot off at an official big white ballot box of which there are many locations. Plus you can track your ballot to make sure it was received and processed! I do miss visiting the local church basement or elementary school to vote in person but I feel confident the vote by mail or ballot box is working.
Danimal November 28, 2023 (9:27 pm)

Stop, Rhonda. Nobody is interested in Republican/Conservative voter suppression. Take it elsewhere. Better yet, keep it to yourself.
- Canton November 29, 2023 (6:25 am)
  
  Stop danimal. People are entitled to have opinions, wether you agree or not. Btw, where does one get the credentials to speak on behalf of EVERYONE?
  - Anne November 29, 2023 (11:38 am)
    
    Ok- but absurd & untrue statements deserve to be called out- not let stand as “fact”
- wetone November 29, 2023 (9:08 am)
  
  I can just imagine what the pages of comments would be saying if the vote went the other way ….. 😉 It is sad times in this city with all the crime, vandalism and drug use, with little to no help from our government. Many years ago if one stole mail you did serve time, but that seems to be a thing of the past as is “ Accountability”
- Arroyogirl November 30, 2023 (2:43 am)
  
  It may be tempting to blame concerns on your favorite boogey, but what gets lost is discussion of huge problems with 100% mail in voting which started near 1998 in Oregon and grew to 5 states perhaps 8 states soon. It’s still in an embryonic state and needs guidance to to the fraud. Wa state does not have any laws concerning ballot collecting/harvesting and how many one might collect to mail in a group, fill out then mail, who knows… Most other states are very limited in who can pick up your vote. There is great concern/Fear re coercion and vote buying. Any power figure, family, regular or union boss, homeless advocate, senior center owner can legally coerce/scare people to handing over ballots. A controlling husband will vote for the wife. If a corporation will profit from ballot measure what could be wreaked on us all. Uncontrolled use of mailed out ballots plus the million+- extra ballots is still hidden . Issue 2 mail in problem is voters roles massively incorrect. It takes huge $$ and time to clean the roles so that thousands of ballots are not out there to be collected, bought and sold. and voted as needed. This black market ballots may rule your lives . Issue 3 is the many days or months available to collect/COUNT and tabulate just the votes needed. this fraud isn’t rocket science and is why 42 states are fighting against all mail in balloting until we fix our challenges.All mail in balloting is great for elite groups who don’t think voters very smart, just useful.
Votebymailisok November 28, 2023 (10:20 pm)

Oh Rhonda…
Also John November 29, 2023 (8:13 am)

Ok Rhonda….. can you please provide the other 465 reasons. I’m curious what they are. If not, I can only believe you made it all up.
- 1994 November 29, 2023 (10:29 pm)
  
  Good one Also John :)
shotinthefoot November 29, 2023 (9:38 am)

example # 470 why trump supporters have bad ideas. voting by mail is 100% safe and a great thing for voter turnout – something we know republicans hate.
miws November 29, 2023 (11:05 am)

Hey, Rhonda, if you had just dropped your ballot in there, you’re a few weeks late… —Mike
Mellow Kitty November 30, 2023 (3:11 pm)

Sigh. Must we turn everything into a political issue?

WSCurmudgeon November 28, 2023 (10:31 pm)

There is no evidence that voting by mail is a bad idea.

The history of mail ballots is long. The incidence of fraud is so low as to have been immaterial to election outcomes.

Mail voting was bi-partisan until the 2020 election results didn’t agree with what “45” thought they should have been.

The Brennan Center’s report on voting by mail is an excellent starting point to evaluate the security of mail ballots.

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/mail-ballot-security-features-primer

Elder Millennial November 29, 2023 (10:36 am)

Exactly. I’m a native Seattleite, nearly forty years old, and have literally only voted in person once, in the 2004 presidential election. That’s how standard voting by mail is here. Ridiculous mental acrobatics are needed to make this story proof that voting by mail is dangerous

22blades November 29, 2023 (4:34 am)

West Seattle: I dunno. My partner’s car was broken into, broke the glass & had the entire hardtop stolen on Thanksgiving morning (SPD#2023-920115). They just hit again & broke another window. I heard him so I went outside & he raced off got in his truck but his truck wouldn’t start. Shined a spotlight on him but didn’t approach him. He got it started & raced off. Apprx 1980 White Ford F-150, hispanic about 5’6′. 3:45 am, Admiral. I got rear ended by a texter last month & my neck is screwed up. I’m kinda ready to give up on West Seattle.

22blades November 29, 2023 (4:40 am)

Just figured out how he approached. He took a running start, shut the engine off & coasted to the front of the house. Did his thing & rolled back downhill a couple of houses & tried to drive away but his truck wouldn’t start. The tell tale was his truck leaked oil & I could see perfectly where he went.

Gabe Cadwell November 29, 2023 (5:53 am)

Damn, I had a 50 gift card for my sister’s birthday in there, anyway to make a claim against the post office?

flimflam November 29, 2023 (6:24 am)

Serious question – why aren’t ANY mail thieves charged with federal crimes? My entire life I recall hearing that messing with the mail is a federal offense, was that a myth or something?

Tony November 30, 2023 (9:17 pm)

Mail theft is a federal crime. The subject or subjects need to be caught before they can be charged. It also will depend on whether or not the Western District of Washington wants to prosecute the case.

Rick November 29, 2023 (7:41 am)

Maybe, just maybe if there were actual consequences for criminals when caught.

momosmom November 29, 2023 (7:44 am)

I don’t know how desolate this part of the Junction is at night or in the wee hours of the morning, but I can’t believe nobody heard or saw this happening. Did anyone?

Marty November 29, 2023 (8:58 am)

Sad to see that liberal/conservative bickering is being allowed in this blog. Seems like there is no place that it doesn’t exist.

batgurrl November 29, 2023 (10:59 am)

Ah the poor Westwood Blue Box. The current version is not designed for a drive up deposit. One has to get out of your car to reach the slot. (unless you have a mega tall truck) I feel bad for disabled folks and have got out of my car to help someone struggle with their door and the ordeal. Not easier by any means. Plus is it really stopping the theft? Guess not since her sister box in the Junction was sawed off at the bolts.So… alas I park and go inside now. It is actually less hassle to do that then juggle the whole blue box not designed for car drive thru deposits.Hang in there everyone. In perspective of life for many now and past, these are developed world problems not life defeating ones. We are so fortunate in general and this is a minor thing. We got this!! Help each other too.

1994 November 29, 2023 (10:27 pm)

A mega tall truck also does not work for drive up deposit at the WW blue mail box . As you point out, it is no longer a drive up mail box. But just maybe, if a person has a double jointed wrist, elbow and shoulder could they do the drive up maneuver now required to do a deposit from a car or a mega tall truck. Maybe the mail box should have ‘concrete shoes’ to help keep them from being lifted?

Sue T. November 29, 2023 (1:24 pm)

USPS could pretty easily secure the street mailbox against most thieves by just making the anchor bolts less accessible. Adding a skirt of sheet metal around the bottom of the mailbox, a short bollard post at each corner of the mailbox, or even a couple of cheap cinder blocks under the mailbox could make it a lot harder for thieves or vandals to fiddle with the bolts.

bolo November 30, 2023 (4:14 pm)

Been seeing a near constant stream of cars’n’trucks pulling up into the lot, heading for the driveup mailbox that is no longer there, and the drivers looking confused.