Authorities have confirmed that mail and personal information were stolen from collection boxes in four Central Texas communities over the Fourth of July weekend, and crimes have already been committed with the contents.

The thefts from boxes in Lorena, Troy, Jarrell, and Round Rock were confirmed Friday.

Kraig Disney with the Lorena Police Department told our news partner, KWTX, that thieves cut a lock off the back of a collection box in Lorena and took an unknown number of articles.

Disney said citizens have reported checks not arriving and being cashed in other towns. He said thieves are looking for checks mailed to pay bills, social security numbers, and documents containing credit card and other account numbers.

One woman, who chose to remain anonymous, told KWTX she discovered an unauthorized withdrawal of $400 from an account after she dropped off bill payments at the Lorena Post Office over the weekend of the Fourth. She said she has had to change account numbers, as well as redirect automatic withdrawals and direct deposits in the wake of the discovery.

Disney warned that thieves are also stealing from residential boxes, and urged citizens to be on the lookout for people driving around and looking into mailboxes.

The thefts are currently being investigated by U.S. Postal Inspector Mike Sullivan in Austin.

If you believe your mail was stolen or tampered with, you can report the crime to the United States Postal Inspection Service at 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777) or online at postalinspectors.uspis.gov.

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