Location: Ohio
Hello all, I am looking for legal advice on how to move forward with this matter, if possible! If this isn’t the place for this, please delete.
The story: my ex-roommate moved out over a year ago and things did not end well. We let our old neighbor move in with us for 2 months (turned into almost a year) because she was living in her car with her cats. She refused to leave and I was finally able to get her out when she started sneaking her drug addicted daughter into my home. My things were being stolen and petty things around the home kept happening. They moved into a motel like a minute down the road from me. When she moved out, she robbed me of all my kitchenware and other random things, but I let it go so SHE WOULD JUST LEAVE ME ALONE! We are not well off financially (just graduated in May), so we were without kitchenware for months.
Here we are over a year later. She STILL uses my mailbox and she takes my mail. She knows I know but she also knows I’m helpless. I have tried noting “does not live here” in the mailbox and mail, giving names that actually live here, talked to my mail lady, and called the post office. Each time her mail stops coming for about a day or so but then starts back up – she must call them to nullify what I had said/wrote. Instead of my name being on junk mail, HER name is on junk mail bc she uses it so damn often. When I put notes on the inside of the box, she just tears them down 😅.
Im at my wits end with this and honestly feel violated. I have been without a real license for over a year (I have the paper one) and each time I go to get it reprinted, she just takes the new one that’s shipped to me. She steals birthday cards, wedding invitations, and I actually missed one of my friend’s baby showers because she took the invitation so I was unaware. She has taken the title to my new car. The worst…she stole my diplomas that I worked very hard for (MBA and PharmD). I have tried EVERYTHING to get this woman to stop and she just won’t. This stuff is all trivial, I guess, but I don’t really feel safe in my home because she is vindictive (I often feel she comes into my home – things will be moved, things will be missing, etc).
I have tried to get help several times from the police, but they say that I need to buy a camera with a spotlight so that I can get proof. The problem is that those cameras are $300+ and we can hardly even afford to eat until I am able to get a job (currently studying for boards). I tried getting a cheap camera and caught her, but police said that they couldn’t make out the license plate. They told me to file a restraining order, but I don’t think I can get one because she hasn’t ever done anything directly to me…she’s sneaky. I’ve tried several times with the police but nothing ever comes of it.
I just really want my stuff to stop being stolen. Any advice on what to do for someone with low income?
Comments
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File a complaint with the postal inspector and have all your mail held for pickup at your local post office instead of having it placed in the box.
Consider getting a PO box until you get this solved? And/or sign up for informed delivery so you’ll see via email what’s coming.
Call the cops
Put a hold mail request in at your post office. Then you’ll have to go there to pick up your mail. Make some labels for return to sender and send all of her mail back. Give it a month and I bet she’ll stop using your address.
Have you asked your neighbors if they catch it on their cameras? I’d ask around and see if anyone has her on theirs. You may even be able to talk one into adjusting the angle of one of their cameras to help you. Just because your camera didn’t catch her plate doesn’t mean the one across the street didn’t.
She’s committing a federal offense. The cops SHOULD be more helpful. We all know they’ve arrested people with less evidence, but unless they are trying to give you a speeding ticket they give no fucks in Ohio.
Stop your mail coming to your house and set up a PO Box so everything goes to the PO Box instead
You need to report mail theft to the United States Postal Inspection Station at USPIS
The report it to FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) as they deal with stolen mail at IC3
I would make those reports and wait for follow up before doing anything else. You have to find a way to catch her in the act so she can be prosecuted for the thefts. You can also call and talk to your Post Master at your local post office for more help on what to do.
Your mailbox doesn’t have a lock?
Can you replace your current mailbox with a locked version? Mail carrier opens the flap to insert mail but you can only retrieve it with a key. I know you said money is tight, but I see some options around $100 so cheaper than a PO Box over time.
You’ll have to contact the postal inspector general. I’ve had an ongoing issue where my STBXH was stealing my mail and not paying the associated bills. I contacted my post office and spoke with the postmaster. Turns out he was having his mail held, but the carrier was accidentally holding my mail in addition to his mail. They said a mail hold is only supposed to last for 30 days, but I was able to show them photos from informed delivery over a several-month period. They finally stopped his access. But the postmaster for my local office said that if I had any issues, I could contact them again and the inspector general. They gave me the number. So maybe you should contact your local office and ask the postal inspector general to file a report. You should also sign up for Informed Delivery, if you don’t already have it, so that you have proof of what mail was supposed to be delivered. Good luck.
Have a big lock box for the mail
So you need a key. Set up a camera get her arrested or get a P.O. Box.
Otherwise quit whining.
If it’s your house- you could look into a locked mail box. My in laws do that, and there’s no way to get into it without the key
You need to move.
I know it is kind of expensive and you shouldn’t have to do it but you should look into getting a locking mailbox so that she can’t get in and mess with your mail anymore.
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