The tiny neighborhood known as Chevy Chase Section 3 has had six recent incidents of someone going through and ripping up mail or packages left for residents or postal service workers.
Village Manager Andy Leon Harney said the first incident happened July 27 when someone tore through a UPS package and stole a piece of clothing that was left on a resident’s porch.
On Aug. 7, someone took outgoing mail in another resident’s mailbox and ripped it up, apparently looking for a check. Neighbors found the envelopes on their property. On Aug. 8, another resident reported having checks stolen from outgoing mail waiting in a mailbox.
Harney said that around the same time, an Amazon gift card that was sent to another resident was reported stolen from a mailbox. Another incident involved an envelope that contained an invoice that looked like a check. That invoice was left on the resident’s porch.
“It’s disturbing,” said Harney, who has reported the apparent thefts to the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Chevy Chase Section 3 has 282 houses in an area that’s just one-tenth of a square mile. It sits between Bradley Lane, Connecticut Avenue, Taylor Street and Brookville Road.
Harney said five of the six incidents happened at homes on Taylor Street.
Harney also notified the police in nearby Chevy Chase Village, which sits on the opposite side of Connecticut Avenue. Chevy Chase Village sent out an alert to residents Friday advising them not to place outgoing mail in their mail slot or mail box.
The alert also asked residents to drop outgoing mail in an official, secure mail box or at a post office.
