Thieves Target Postal Bins in Anchorage

Police are looking for 50-year-old Clifford Dancer in connection with the crimes

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By Bill McAllister
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Story Created: Dec 26, 2012 at 6:58 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Dec 26, 2012 at 7:06 PM AKDT

ANCHORAGE - If you dropped off some mail, or holiday gifts, in the past week, you might want to call the postal service, because your packages or mail could have been stolen.

Four postal bins were stolen at post offices in Anchorage, and police are looking for the 50-year-old Anchorage man they say could be responsible.

The Huffman and Spenard post office drop-off bins were taken yesterday, on Christmas, while the receptacles from the Lake Otis and Muldoon locations were taken a few days earlier and have been recovered.

Police say an alert bank customer checking his account online led to the first break in the case.
Police say Clifford Dancer was captured on bank surveillance video cashing a check in which the intended recipient's name had been chemically removed and Dancer's forged in its place.

That check apparently came from the Muldoon drop-off receptacle.

Forgery is a state charge, but whoever stole the bins also could face federal charges of tampering with U.S. mail, which is punishable by up to five years in prison for each count.

"Typically, we've seen mail stolen directly from a mailbox, someone's put the mail out at an unsecured mailbox, or some of the neighborhoods that have the group mailboxes, they'll pry open the back and steal mail out of those,” said APD Detective Michele Logan. “I have not heard here in Anchorage in 18 years I’ve been a detective of them actually stealing the mail receptacles from the post office."

If you think you might have put outgoing mail in any of the collection boxes, you are encouraged to contact U.S. Postal Inspector Kim Dallas at 261-6323.

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Daisy said on Saturday, Dec 29 at 4:14 PM

I always use the USPS. I have moved my personal property back and forth across the country three times and in and out of the bush as well. They never lost a box, and the only thing that broke was a piece of childhood pottery. Sorry to hear of your experience DW.

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USA said on Friday, Dec 28 at 12:30 AM

smash his hands in the letter door when they find him

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Debbie White said on Thursday, Dec 27 at 8:53 AM

I don't trust USPS anymore. I mailed a package of homemade goodies and odds & ends from Juneau to Spokane. The box was opened and items taken. They even opened the container of homemade almond roca, and didn't even put the lid back in the box. So far no response to my complaint with USPS.

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