Each year, Americans trust the U.S. Postal Service® with billions of letters and packages, and the vast majority of those arrive safely at their intended destinations. But there are always thieves who will target the mail. Postal Inspectors investigate these crimes and arrest thousands of mail and package thieves each year. Still, there are extra steps you can take to ensure your mail arrives safely at its destination.

PROTECT YOURSELF 
Follow and share these tips to help protect yourself and others against mail and package theft.

Promptly pickup mail - Try not to leave letters and packages in your mailbox or at your door for any length of time.

Deposit mail close to pickup time  - Deposit outgoing mail into USPS® Blue Collection Boxes before the last collection or inside your local Post Office™.

Inquire about overdue mail - If you do not receive a check, credit card, or other valuable mail you’re expecting, contact the sender as soon as possible and inquire about it.

Don't send cash - Be careful about what you send. Don’t risk sending cash in the mail.

Arrange for prompt pickup - If you cannot be home to receive a package, make another arrangement or use the USPS Hold Mail Service.

Use Hold for Pickup - When shipping packages, use the Hold for PickUp option, and the recipients can collect the package at their local Post Office™.

Request signature confirmation - When mailing something important, consider requesting Signature Confirmation™ for the intended recipient.

File a change of address - If you move, make sure you file a change of address with the Postal Service and let your financial institutions know as well.

From the United States Postal Inspection Service website  https://www.uspis.gov/tips-prevention/mail-theft/

Report mailbox vandalism at https://ehome.uspis.gov/mailtheft/vandalize.aspx

From the Colorado Springs Police Department:

Good afternoon Colorado Springs,

​Just a quick reminder to report, report, report!

​If you are the victim of a crime, such as a burglarized motor vehicle, please make sure to report it to us. Many citizens have stated they don’t want to report their burglarized motor vehicle because nothing was taken. As law enforcement we rely on that information to make sure we are aware of any potential crime patterns. With this information we can get resources in place to deter future criminal activity and possibly catch the bad guy. If we aren’t notified that a crime has taken place we won’t be able to help! 

Call 911 for emergencies, and 444-7000 for non-emergency events.

Remember, criminals are relying on you to not report their activity. DON’T HELP THEM OUT! Let’s work together to keep Colorado Springs safe!

Colorado Springs citizens can face a fine of up to $500  if they are cited for feeding wildlife, defined as “any undomesticated animal species including but not limited to bear, skunks, raccoon, wolf, coyote, fox, deer, elk, moose, or antelope. Wildlife does not include animals raised as livestock, domesticated pets, or birds.”

Feeding wildlife is already against state law, and the ordinance is meant to reinforce that law.

As urban deer populations in the city continue to grow, there are safety concerns. This growth not only brings in predators and increases the chances of animal/vehicle collisions, but it also increases the risk for the spread of disease.

The animals also become more comfortable around humans and feeding them might cause them to become more aggressive.

Leaving out hay, grain, minerals, salt or other foods for wild animals to eat is prohibited under the ordinance. The law would not apply to bird feeders, landscape elements, or persons running an animal shelter, education center or rescue.

You can read the City Ordinance at sterlingcodifiers.com/codebook/index.php?book_id=855&chapter_id=62711#s1310991

You can read about the State Law at ​cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/do-not-feed-wildlife.aspx

​KOAA's original article is at koaa.com/news/covering-colorado/2018/11/28/feeding-wildlife-could-now-cost-you-500-in-colorado-springs/

Pursuant to the Association’s Governing Documents, the 2020 Operating Budget was reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors and ratified by the owners at the November 13th, 2019 meeting. The PCVA Master Assessment for 2020 will increase to $78.00 per home per month beginning on January 1, 2020.
 
Visit 2020 Assessments to learn more about paying your monthly assessment.

If you would like to address an issue directly to a PCVA Board member -- visit our contact page at https://www.pcva.org/board-of-directors.html