NJ congressman calls for mail theft crackdown ahead of holiday shipping season
TEANECK, New Jersey (WABC) -- With the peak holiday shipping season just around the corner, a New Jersey congressman is pushing back on mail theft.
Congressman Josh Gottheimer joined a group of North Jersey residents outside the Teaneck Post Office Tuesday morning.
All of the residents have been targets of thieves, victims of criminals who stole their mail, often containing checks.
Officials say there have been hundreds of victims and millions of dollars have been stolen
"When I clicked on a check that was made out for $6,310.83, I realized that although it was my check, it was a check that I never wrote," Teaneck resident Jeremy Lentz said.
One person who worked in the post office was arrested for stealing checks, but the problem continues.
Officials say more needs to be done to stop people from stealing checks in the mail.
Gottheimer says the federal U.S. Office of Inspector General has not completed its investigation in Teaneck.
He says the OIG told him that their investigation will take several more months.
Gottheimer said he sent a letter to U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy demanding more information on what the Post Office is doing to combat postal crimes.
"We need full transparency in what's being done. This investigation has dragged on for long enough," Gottheimer said.
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