ABC 33/40 reporting  
http://www.abc3340.com/story/26639689/us-postal-inspectors-track-mail-tampering- cases-in-bluff-park#.VCYvR4eJC6g.gmail
 
 
Hoover , AL -
Criminals are getting more clever. People in every zip code are at risk and don't know it. The bad guys are opening mailboxes and snooping through mail. Federal agents are tracking the bad guys in Hoover. Postal inspectors are sorting through evidence in the Bluff Park community. ABC 33/40 did a little sifting to understand why. One Bluff Park homeowner isn't surprised to hear feds are working in his neighborhood.
 
"Our mail was from this corner all the way down to our driveway," said Frank Davis.
 
Davis assumed a carrier dropped the mail and it belonged to someone else.
 
"It's all our mail and only our mail from here to that driveway. I said what in the world. I go to pick it up, tell my wife and she said no it has happened before," added Davis.
 
He's seen his family's mail on the ground too many times.
 
"it's disturbing. We've had that happen three times. We had no idea what was going on," added Davis.
 
U.S. Postal Inspector Tony Robinson has an idea.
 
"Any kind of crime that deals with the united states postal service like the mail, employees, the risk to the employees and threats. We are in involved," said Robinson.
 
Postal inspectors know someone is tampering with mail in Hoover's Bluff Park community.
 
"They'll target mail for what they want. Some of them want money. Some of them want jewelry that might be going through the mail. You also have those out there that target drugs," added Robinson.
 
"It just seems bold. How do you protect yourself from that? As a resident, how do you keep people from going through your mail looking for information," added Davis.
 
Robinson thinks the criminals are trying to steal someone's identity. He hopes people understand everyone is at risk.
 
Most homes and businesses have a mailbox.
 
"Their lives are bound up. One identity theft case on a person can disrupt their life for years and cost you thousand of dollars trying to clear your good name because of something some criminal has done to you," added Robinson.
 
Inspectors have not made an arrest in the mail tampering investigation. They want to hear from people who have seen unusual activity at mailboxes in their neighborhood. There is a hotline set-up to report it. The number is (877) 876-2455.