Wild Bunch mail trail robberies may be a relic of our Wild West past, but we continue to transport money and other valuables through the mail stream. Postmasters, clerks, and letter carriers can be especially vulnerable to thieves looking to make an easy buck without hesitating to harm those who get in their way. At certain designated postal facilities the uniformed, armed Postal Police provide security for the property, employees, and customers.
The U.S. Postal Service is funded by postage and product sales, not taxes. This makes securing the service’s revenue stream vital to its solvency. Most customers willingly pay the required postage. When dishonest mailers circumvent the system, postal inspectors conduct investigations to identify postage shortfalls, fraudulent mailings, and use of counterfeit postage. Criminal, civil or deficiency assessments are levied as appropriate.
