AUSTIN, Texas – Mail theft is on the rise in Austin. City leaders and lawmakers are taking action while the postal service is expanding security measures in an effort to stop thieves.
“I’ve seen that there were postal workers who had their arrow keys robbed at gunpoint and an arrow key is a master key and so when those are out circulation throughout the community, that’s something that would give thieves greater access to mailboxes,” Austin City Council member Mackenzie Kelly (District 6) said.
Last year, more than 400 USPS letter carriers were robbed on the job and almost 39,000 mail theft incidents were reported. In response, the U.S. Postal Service is increasing security by replacing thousands of arrow locks with electric locks and hardening blue collection boxes to make it harder to access what’s inside.
Austin resident Bill Ogilbie said his old box has been replaced.
“One of the postal employees said it had been vandalized, and so they took it away while they were investigation,” Ogilbie said, “The new box only allows you to put letters.”
In April, cameras at the Mesa Village Condominium in Northwest Austin captured two men in security outfits able to get past a locked gate and start opening boxes and stealing mail, appearing to have a master key.
RELATED: VIDEO: Two men seen breaking into mailboxes at Northwest Austin condos
Earlier this month, new cameras captured two men in security outfits that were able to get past the locked gate and start opening up boxes and stealing mail, appearing to have a master key.
“Everyone who I’ve spoken to at least feels pretty violated by it,” Austin resident Ashley Hornung said.
Council woman Kelly asked the city manager in April to send a letter to the Postmaster General requesting a change of master keys for mailboxes across the city.
“I know that these types of crimes are very personal, and I am seeking a way for the city to overcome them in a way that’s productive and helps try to mitigate the problem,” Kelly said.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and U.S. Rep. Randy Weber (R-14) are also acting by introducing legislation to help prevent mail theft called the Upholding a Secure Postal Service Systems, or USPS Act.
The act would require the Comptroller General of the U.S. to submit a report to Congress on nationwide mail theft trends and postal property to a House and Senate committee. It would also include measures the postal services is taking to combat theft.
“These crimes of opportunity are there, and people are able to take advantage of more easily and so it’s just up to me and other people to say that if we want our stuff to get someplace safe and reliable, we should look at other options,” Ogilbie said.
“Every day, the U.S. Postal Service safely delivers mail to more than 150 million addresses; mails that include checks, money orders, credit cards, and merchandise. While the U.S. mail remains one of the most secure means to transmit such items, unfortunately, these items are also attractive to thieves.” They are asking postal customers to check their mailboxes daily, as the longer the mail sits in the mailbox, the more susceptible it is to theft,” The U.S. Postal Inspection Service said.
“Some people just get up in the morning and that’s their job to go out and skim as opportunities to skim whatever they can off society. It obviously doesn’t mean everybody is doing it, you just need a very, very small number of people to do that to have an impact on society,” Ogilbie said.
Mail theft is a state and federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison and substantial fines. Unauthorized possession of a USPS key is a federal crime punishable by up to ten years in prison.
This story is part of the KXAN Data Hub, where numbers help tell the whole story.
We’ve created several data-driven stories and databases on topics including weather and climate, politics, education, sports and growth in Texas. Each story in the KXAN Data Hub is updated as new data becomes available.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — KXAN is keeping track of the number of homicides in Austin.
As of Jan. 9, two homicides have been reported thus far in 2025.
Last year, 70 homicides were reported, down from 75 in 2023 and 71 in 2022. A record 88 homicides were reported in 2021.
The charts below will be updated as we learn new information. Scroll down for a map of where each homicide occurred.
The chart below shows how the number of homicides reported in recent years changed through the year.
Below is a map showing where homicides occurred in 2025. The map is interactive, so clicking on or hovering over a dot will reveal information about that incident. You can also click on a month in the top left to show only homicides that occurred during that month.
The chart below shows the number of homicides reported each month in 2025.
AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin has appointed Andrew (Andy) Maas as the new assistant vice president for technology transfer on the Discovery to Impact team, which works with world-class inventors, investors, creators and entrepreneurs to launch startups and collaborates with established businesses to accelerate new products, services, solutions and cures.
In this role, Maas will lead the University’s research commercialization and innovation initiatives and oversee the protection and commercialization of UT’s intellectual property. Reporting to Mark Arnold, associate vice president of Discovery to Impact and managing director of Texas Startups, Maas will ensure that the University’s innovations transition effectively from academic research to market applications that benefit society.
“Andy is nationally recognized for his expertise in technology licensing and commercialization, and we are pleased to welcome a leader of his caliber to the team,” Arnold said. “We have an ambitious agenda for Discovery to Impact this year — to invest early and strategically in faculty ideas and inventions that will change the world — and there is no doubt that Andy is the right person to help lead the charge.”
Maas joins UT from Louisiana State University, where he most recently served as associate vice president for research, overseeing the office of Innovation and Ecosystem Development.
Maas holds a B.S. from Brigham Young University, an M.S. from UT Austin, and a J.D. and LLM from The University of Akron.
During his career, Maas has built an engineering startup, led within the university and research foundation settings, and currently serves as the board chair of the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) – the non-profit leader in supporting professionals in the technology commercialization and research innovation space. In addition, he was the principal investigator on a $160 million National Science Foundation Engine award focused on the Future Use of Energy in Louisiana (FUEL). Maas has lectured all over the world about intellectual property valuation, economic impact, technology licensing and technology commercialization.
“This is a homecoming for me in many ways, and it’s a privilege and pleasure to be back on the Forty Acres,” Maas remarked. “Discovery to Impact is one of the premier research commercializing programs in the country, and I look forward to working alongside Mark and the team to propel our groundbreaking faculty ideas forward.”
TxDOT is working around the clock treating roadways as temperatures plummet in the Austin area.
AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas Department of Transportation is working around the clock treating roadways as temperatures plummet in the Austin area.
The agency is also offering assistance at no cost to stranded drivers through its “HERO program.”
“Our crews have been out there laying saltwater mixture, which is known as brine, and also a granular substance. That’s a magnesium chloride,” says TxDOT spokesperson Antonio Lujan.
TxDOT says employees are placing the brine on major highways in Austin and in surrounding areas.
“This includes I-35, SH 71, U.S. 183, 290 East going towards Manor and then towards Dripping Springs. Some of those smaller rural roads may not have brine or that granular substance in them,” says Lujan.
Central Texans have been busy preparing for Thursday’s cold weather and possible ice, especially in the Hill Country.
Temperatures reached below 40 degrees in Central Texas on Wednesday. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson addressed the public in a press conference on weather conditions and how the city is working to keep residents safe in their homes and on the streets.
“Keeping roads safe, keeping them as safe as possible, and continuing and continuing to deliver the critical services that our community depends on,” said Mayor Watson.
TxDOT says this means staying off the roads.
“Just because they’re drivable and treated does not mean passable. Because remember that depending on how low the temperatures do get, there might be some instances where you might have some ice accumulation,” says Lujan.
In the case a driver needs assistance on the roadways, TxDOT’S HERO program does offer several services in the Austin area.
“If you are broken down on the side of the road, we can help you out by changing your tire, jump-starting your car, pushing you off the road, getting you some gas. Our emergency first responders cover for them so they can do their job,” said a HERO PM Lead Operator.
“They’re out there monitoring our roads as we speak. They’re going to be out there working longer hours during the next couple of days to ensure that we are helping anyone who’s out there stranded. And the good thing about hero is that it’s at no cost,” Lujan
TxDOT says they plan to work around the clock until weather conditions return to normal.
For the HERO program or assistance, you can dial 512-974-HERO.
The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin’s Tan Radford
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