Postal police, who used to combat mail theft, have had limited power for years

The United States Postal Service has upped security measures as mail theft continues to spike across the country.

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The United States Postal Service has upped security measures as mail theft continues to spike across the country.

Such measures include fortifying blue collection boxes, new locks, more secure verification for address changes and new authority to intercept packages with counterfeit postage.

Frank Albergo, the head of the Postal Police Officers Association, thinks a better fix the rise in both mail theft and attacks against mail carriers - is restoring patrolling power to postal police officers.

"We used intelligence-led policing targeting specific zip codes where mail theft was most prevalent, and it was working," he said.

According to a 2020 Postal Inspection Service memo, postal police were ordered to stop patrolling and focus their attention solely on protecting post office property.

"You'd think when postal police officers are needed most, that's when we'd be utilized," said Albergo.

According to USPS, there were 38,500 mail theft incidents in FY22. In the first half of FY23, there have already been more than 25,000.

Mail theft is on the rise in Austin - so much so that Council Member Mackenzie Kelly has requested the City Manager's Office to look into ways to deter the crime.

"By Federal law, the jurisdiction of PPOs is limited to USPS real property, and as such, the primary role of PPOs is to provide physical security for USPS property at their assigned work locations," said the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which investigates USPS-related crime, in a statement.

KXAN is still gathering information on this story. Check back for updates.