South Florida

Postal Carriers Getting Extra Security During Holiday Season

It's now the busiest time of the year for the postmen and women, but it's also the time they can be prime targets. They have their hands full now as the volume of mail jumps.

Postal carriers are getting some extra security and they are also asking for you to have a watchful eye.

On the roads across South Florida, postal carriers are keeping a tight schedule. Their trucks are loaded with more deliveries as the holiday season kicks off. Sadly, it's also the time the odds increase they can be targeted by those looking to steal.

"Influx is higher. Therefore, people know these parcels are arriving on a daily basis and they might target not just our carriers but also couriers. But the postal inspectors are here to insure the safety of our employees," said Delany De Leon-Colon, U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service gave NBC 6 an exclusive look at their plans to head off trouble. The carriers have with them, not only the mail, but access to buildings.

Surveillance video shows what postal inspectors say captures a man who targeted one of their South Florida carriers.

"We just want to make sure that the mail is safe as well as our employees and our postal carriers. We want to make sure that the public receives their parcels and part of the joy that the holidays season brings," De Leon-Colon said.

The postal inspectors are deploying marked units and uniformed officers, and those who you can't see, undercover officers blending in nearby. This protection will hopefully be a deterrent but also the officers are prepared to respond, if needed.

"In some cases, you will be able to see us and in others, as part of our job, we will not be seen but we are out there," De Leon-Colon explained.

The postal inspectors want you to report it right away if you see something that doesn't look right. You can call 911 or contact them at (877) 876-2455.

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