TRAVERSE CITY — Maggie Perkins is trying to land a job teaching English in South Korea.
She just needs a passport to get the applications going.
Unfortunately, she said a mailbox thief is making it difficult for her to start.
Grand Traverse Sheriff's deputies are investigating mailbox thefts in East Bay Township near Brown Bridge Road, including that of Perkins' passport.
Perkins said she expected the passport on Dec. 14, but it never showed up.
The post office told her that it was confirmed as delivered, but when she opened up the mail box, it was gone.
She is sure it wasn't misplaced, and a mail carrier later confirmed that it was dropped in the right box.
"We were looking for the passport," she said. "We wouldn't have known anything was missing otherwise."
Sheriff's Lt. Bryan Marrow said deputies are looking into another incident of mail theft in the same neighborhood.
He said they periodically see rashes of this type of crime as cards, packages and financial statements are snatched up by thieves.
He advises people in rural areas to send mail from post offices or postal drop boxes, if at all possible, rather than their personal mailbox.
"It's an easy target when that red flag is up," he said.
Marrow said anyone who suspects their mail was stolen can call the sheriff's office at 922-4550.
