Cohasset Police Returning Mail To More Than 40 Customers After Overnight Thefts

COHASSET (CBS) -- Cohasset Police say hundreds of letters, postcards, and packages were taken from mailboxes and porches overnight. Police said more than 40 people have been impacted so far.

The mail was found in the road and in yards. Officers were working to return all of it Friday.

"Residents had their mailboxes rifled through and the contents were taken or discarded on the side of the road, in the middle of the road, people's front yards," said Cohasset Police Lieutenant Michael Lopes.

Police said it happened on Jerusalem Road between Hull Street and Forest Avenue, on Forest Avenue, and on all side streets off of Forest Avenue.

Cohasset residents are asked to return any stray mail they find to the police station.

"We have several officers out in the area, canvassing the neighborhood," said Lopes. "We're in the process of gathering video footage, Ring footage, from houses in the area affected."

The United States Postal Service has been notified and they are working with Cohasset Police to find out who is responsible.

"This time of year, we do get an uptick in reports of stolen packages from people's front doorsteps in the holiday season, so we want people to use caution," said Lopes.

Police offered these tips on to protect important mail:

• Consider getting a P.O. box at your local post office or having packages delivered to your office
• Set up notifications to track your packages
• Install a security camera outside your home where packages may be delivered
• Require a signature upon delivery to ensure packages never are left unattended
• Reschedule delivery or ask for a package hold when on vacation
• Research potential home security technology and locking device options to protect and monitor packages
• Ask your neighbors to grab your packages for safekeeping until you return home
• If you find your package has been stolen, immediately report it to police
• Sign up for the USPS "Informed Delivery" service, where you can get a daily email with a picture/scan of the mail you will receive that day