Maywood Shuts Down Mailboxes After Bold Theft Spree — Two Bronx Men Snared in Overnight Sting.

Maywood — In a borough where the biggest weekly disruption is usually the Saturday bagel rush, Maywood police took the rare step of shutting down multiple USPS blue mailboxes this week after a late-night theft operation exposed a criminal pipeline flowing straight through the quiet Bergen County town. Two Bronx men were arrested at the scene, and investigators say the case may be tied to a much larger check-theft ring operating across North Jersey.

The move stunned residents, many of whom rely on the Pleasant Avenue mailboxes daily. Now, those same boxes are wrapped in tape, sealed tight, and officially out of service.

Authorities say the shutdown is temporary — but the threat behind it is not.

A Routine Patrol That Blew the Case Open

According to police, it started with something small: a suspiciously parked vehicle beside a row of mailboxes around midnight. Officers on patrol stopped to investigate. As they approached, the driver allegedly attempted to pull away, triggering an immediate stop.

Inside the car, detectives say they found the telltale signs of a mail-theft crew: torn envelopes, stolen mail, gloves, and what appeared to be either a stolen or duplicated mailbox key. The precision, police say, suggested experience — not an impulsive crime.

The two men, both from the Bronx, were taken into custody on charges including possession of stolen mail, burglary tools, conspiracy, and theft. Their identities are being withheld pending further review by federal authorities.

And federal involvement is almost certain.

Since mailboxes fall under federal infrastructure, the case now sits squarely on the radar of U.S. Postal Inspectors — and the penalties could escalate sharply if the case is elevated.

Blue Boxes Shut Down and Secured

Within hours of the arrests, Maywood police made a bold and unprecedented move: shutting down and securing every mailbox believed to have been compromised.

Crime-scene tape and heavy locks now surround the once-standard blue boxes, instantly turning everyday street corners into reminders of the ongoing investigation.

Officials say the boxes will remain shut until USPS installs upgraded high-security models, which could take several weeks. In the meantime, residents are being instructed to drop all sensitive mail — checks, rent payments, financial documents — inside the post office, not outdoors.

A Crime Wave Hitting North Jersey Town by Town

Maywood’s incident is the latest in a growing regional pattern. Mailbox theft has surged across North Jersey over the last year, affecting towns like Clifton, Glen Rock, Montclair, and Westfield. Investigators believe many of the theft crews operate in organized networks, using stolen arrow keys or homemade tools to empty boxes in under a minute.

Once the mail is stolen, the check-washing process begins:
– erase the ink,
– rewrite the check for thousands,
– send someone to cash it,
– and disappear before the victim realizes anything is wrong.

The two Bronx men caught in Maywood may be part of a ring that targets several towns per night, police say.

“This isn’t random mischief,” a law-enforcement source told the Gazette. “This is organized fraud designed to generate fast money.”

Residents Sound the Alarm

Across the borough, residents are rattled. Many told the Gazette they now monitor their bank accounts daily, freeze credit as a precaution, or avoid mailing checks altogether.

One resident said her rent check never reached the landlord earlier this month — a detail she dismissed until news of the arrests broke.

Police are urging anyone who mailed checks recently or noticed suspicious withdrawals to file a report immediately. Every victim report helps investigators widen the case and potentially connect suspects to multiple incidents.

“We want residents to call,” officials said. “The more information we collect, the faster we can shut down the entire network.”