Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

I suspect my new neighbor of mail tampering (if this can be categorized as such).

She moved in about seven or eight months ago. Within three weeks she was leaving the mail for the previous tenant on top of our common mail boxes, refusing to write "return to sender" or "not at this address" and just sending them back. Our mail boxes are in an outdoor area where access is open to anyone who walks in that area. Luckily my other neighbor noticed and put the mail in the outgoing box, so no one could take them. She received an earful when she brought this up to our new neighbor.

We live in a 6-plex and mis-delivered mail happens once in a while, with the rest of us just knocking on the correct apartment door and handing over the mail.

About three months after she moved in I started receiving requests from creditors, my son's doctor, other businesses, to confirm my address. So far the count is up to more than five. I've lived here for 10 years, so my confirming days passed about nine years ago.

Other neighbors have noticed some "missing" mail. An example would be receiving October's energy bill but not November's and then receiving December's.

Can I threaten mail tampering to my neighbor if she doesn't respond to a polite request to just hand the mis-delivered mail to the correct apartment? One place was even told that I didn't live there anymore!

I certainly don't want to lead with "you're a criminal" (because the evidence seems circumstantial at best, at this point), but I would like to know that when I speak to her that I can say this without it being an empty threat.

If you hadn't already guessed, this new neighbor and I don't see eye to eye on many things. I'm not looking for confrontation, just the knowledge I need to be able to say what needs to be said in this matter.


Asked on 2/25/12, 4:55 am

3 Answers from Attorneys
Michael Stone Law Offices of Michael B. Stone Toll Free 1-855-USE-MIKE

Write a letter to U.S. Postal Inspector, c/o Postmaster, Your city, state and Zip code.

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Answered on 2/25/12, 5:18 am
Brian McGinity McGinity Law Office

If what you have described is the extent of your evidence than you have absolutely no evidence to suggest she is doing anything wrong. Your "circumstantial evidence" is not evidence. It sounds like what you really have is a "gut feeling." Unfortunately, that will not get you anywhere. I agree with Mr. Stone about writing a letter.

The mail box situation needs to be corrected and that will clean up anyone's ability to get into your mail or any of the other tenants. Don't go threatening anything, it will only make the situation worse.

Good luck

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Answered on 2/26/12, 6:16 pm


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