Nancy Howard, member of the Lochwood Neighborhood Association, is pushing for a city-wide program that would help communities fund new mailboxes.

SAN ANTONIO — Neighbors on the northwest side woke up to an unwelcomed Valentine’s Day surprise as suspected thieves were caught on camera breaking into their cluster mailboxes. Residents are now hoping the City of San Antonio can help them fund new mailboxes. 

The incident happened around 5:30 a.m. on Saturday in the Lochwood neighborhood off Hollyhock and Babcock roads. 

Hooded individuals are shown getting out of a car then quickly accessing the mailboxes and taking off with an assortment of goods, including packages. 

“They had a key so they’re in and out of our mailboxes in less than 10 seconds,” said Nancy Howard, a member of the Lochwood Neighborhood Association. Howard worries that stolen mail could include sensitive documents. “When people have a pothole they become irate. But we have a critical pothole here. It’s called our mail service.” 

“You’ve got addresses, you may have social security numbers. That’s the key to the kingdom in stealing identity. There are people who have medications as well as checks that are coming through here,” Howard said.  

Lochwood’s mailboxes have been hit in the past. But Howard said repairs by the U.S. Postal Service haven’t deterred thieves from breaking in again. She’s been pushing for the USPS to replace the entire unit. Doing so can cost more than $2,000. The USPS is not generally liable for funding and installing new mailboxes, although KENS 5 has reported on one community that didn’t pay a dime for new mailboxes following a report regarding broken units that thieves easily accessed. 

Replacing the entire unit, however, can cost more than $2,000, a price many neighborhood associations can’t afford.

“We’re bleeding here. No, it’s just band-aids,” Howard said.

Now, residents are looking for help from the city and pointing to a new pilot program launched by local leaders to address similar issues.

In October, District 8 Councilwoman Ivalis Meza-Gonzalez rolled out the Replacement Anti-Theft Mailbox Program (RAMP), a pilot initiative aimed at helping neighborhood associations replace outdated or damaged cluster mailboxes with more secure units and improve lighting around mail areas to deter crime. 

Under the program, neighborhood associations in District 8 can apply for grant funding, up to $2,000 for mailboxes and an additional $500 for enhanced lighting, drawn from the councilmember’s discretionary budget. The goal is to modernize antiquated infrastructure, reduce recurring mail theft and prevent identity fraud. 

So far, only the Jade Oaks Homeowners Association has been selected to benefit from RAMP’s enhanced security measures. 

Meza-Gonzalez’s team provided a statement that says in part:

“Mail theft is a growing concern for many families, and programs like RAMP allow us to partner directly with residents to implement practical solutions that help protect personal information, financial security, and peace of mind.

I want to remind District 8 residents and neighborhood associations that the RAMP Program remains open, and we encourage eligible registered Homeowners Associations to apply. If your neighborhood wants to apply to RAMP, please contact our office at 210-207-0943 or email district8@sanantonio.gov, and we will help you out.”

Lochwood residents, who live in District 7, are now urging city leaders to consider expanding the program city-wide.

“It has to be city-wide. This is a resource, just like electricity or water: mail is one way that we know that we can have that in our safe neighborhoods,” Howard said.