CRIME Mail theft was mischief by three kids

Kids who stole mail were looking for trinkets, police said.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- Residents in another township neighborhood will be facing inconveniences after mail was stolen out of their mailboxes several days ago.
Mail theft has become a problem in recent months in neighborhoods across the township.
Some residents, concerned about potential check washing or other forms of identity theft, have changed the way they send and receive mail, and gone door to door explaining the problem to neighbors.
Township police have said various forms of identity theft have become a problem. Mail-theft victims in the most recent occurrences on Squirrel Hill, Silver Fox and Parkside drives, however, probably have little to worry about from identity thieves.
"This is just one of those stupid kids things," said Lt. Don Hawkins, Boardman police.
Kids' prank
Hawkins said three , ages 8, 12 and 13, took mail out of boxes on the three streets March 22 and March 23 after school. The 8-year-old is a pupil at Stadium Drive Elementary School. The other two kids are pupils at Center Middle School.
None of the children has been arrested.
Officers have determined that mail was taken from about 20 mailboxes. Police are still investigating to determine if mail was taken from any other mailboxes.
Hawkins said the kids were looking for small trinkets. Police said a watch and some coins taken by the kids have been found.
Hawkins said police have recovered a large lawn-size trash bag full of discarded mail believed to have been stolen by the three children.
Police learned of the children's activities after one of them told an adult, who called police.
Hawkins said one of the children's parents also found mail stuffed under a sofa and began to question the child.
jgoodwin@vindy.com