Mail thieves strike North Miami Beach businesses again, prompting federal investigation

MIAMI – Mail theft has become a growing problem for businesses in North Miami Beach, and the latest incident has left local business owners frustrated and concerned.

On Monday morning, surveillance footage captured a car pulling up to a mailbox serving more than ten shops on N.E. 154th Street. The suspects, equipped with a master key, opened the mailbox and stole its contents.

“They didn’t break anything-they had a master key,” said Embarek Aliby, chef and owner of La Parisienne, a French bakery he has operated for 16 years. According to Aliby, mail theft in the area has worsened since the pandemic, with thieves becoming more sophisticated.

“A lot of mail for us comes to the business,” said Antonio Adili, owner of Auto Café, a shop specializing in collectible cars. Adili was expecting checks in the mail and expressed frustration with the repeated thefts. “Three, four times [this] happened, and nobody does anything. It makes us not feel safe.”

The latest incident echoes a similar theft in June 2023, when a suspect walked up to the same mailbox and stole its contents. Aliby contacted the police, but was informed that mailbox theft falls under federal jurisdiction and must be handled by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

“It’s sad. If the police can’t do anything, who will?” Adili added.

In response to inquiries from CBS News Miami, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service confirmed that they are investigating the incident. They issued a statement:

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is currently investigating this incident and will be in contact with businesses affected by this theft. Mail theft is a federal crime, and we will be pursuing all leads possible to identify the individuals responsible.”

Business owners affected by mail theft are encouraged to report incidents by calling 1-877-876-2455 or filing a complaint online at www.uspis.gov.

For now, the affected businesses are left waiting for answers-and hoping for increased security measures to protect their mail.