Malliotakis, Local Officials Respond to Mailbox Removal Due to Vandalism & Theft

(STATEN ISLAND, NY) - Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella and Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo today joined members of the National Association of Letter Carriers at the Manor Road Post Office to respond to drive-through mailboxes being removed as a result of ongoing vandalism and theft.

"With limited on site parking and many seniors with mobility issues, the drive-through mailboxes located at the Manor Road Post Office provided the surrounding residents and businesses with an ease and convenience," said Congresswoman Malliotakis. "We understand that there has been an uptick of mail theft at the location but urge USPS to instead consider adding security measures like cameras and postal police presence instead of making it harder on customers."

"This is a case where convenience and commonsense gets thrown out the window because crooks take advantage of what happens not just across Staten Island, but the city and state," said Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella. "This is not a criticism of the postal service or the postal carriers, it's not a criticism of the NYPD, this is just highlighting what has been a good thing for this community...We want to reinstate and replace these drop boxes here. If there are thefts, let's get the guys who do it and put them behind bars if necessary, but let's not give in...I'm optimistic that we can work out a solution to get these things back."

"We just became aware of this issue, about removing the boxes throughout Staten Island," said John Cruz, Branch President, Brooklyn/Staten Island Letter Carriers. "We're doing our own investigation because we're here to service the community - and it is a big impact on the community. Letter Carriers are working hard out here every day. Once we conduct our investigation we'll keep you all informed."

"My 85-year-old mother comes all the way from Clifton for the ease and convenience because it would take 10 minutes to get her out of the car and mail a letter," said Nicholas Siclari, Chairman of Community Board 1. "This is a travesty for the post office not to have a mailbox for us to mail a letter. It's just sad, especially for one of the main post offices on Staten Island."

"Removing mailboxes is a disservice to our community. At the Manor Road Post Office, the small parking lot is full constantly and the wait time once you get inside is significant," said Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo. "The removal of these drive-up boxes will only exacerbate this problem. I encourage the USPS to go back to the drawing board and find a solution that protects Staten Islanders’ mail without removing a necessary and convenient service they depend on."

"I've been a Westerleigh resident for 32 years, and since I was a child in the back seat of my mother's car those mailboxes have been extremely convenient," said Kristin Golat DeFendis. "I'm now a mother of two young children - this is incredibly impossible for me to drop of letters because it now requires me to bring a two-year-old and a six-month-old out of the car, into the post office to drop off three letters. Instead of punishing the Westerleigh residents, the North Shore residents, and catering to criminals, it really should be the other way around...I'm really hoping they put these mailboxes back."

"As criminals and their nefarious plots evolve, so too must the methods of law enforcement and those tasked with protecting the public. However, those advancements should not come at the expense of our resident's benefit," said Richmond County District Attorney Michael McMahon. "To be sure, the relocation and removal of multiple drive-through USPS mailboxes at the Manor Road Post Office will worsen accessibility issues for law-abiding Staten Islanders. Simply put, the hardworking men and women of our borough should not be punished for the actions of an unscrupulous few. Seeking to mitigate stolen mail, packages, and valuables is a serious and worthwhile endeavor and I look forward to working with my fellow elected officials, U.S. Postmaster Paulino, Postal Police, and our fellow law enforcement partners to find a solution to this public safety challenge that works for our constituents while also ensuring the safety, security and accessibility of our postal system."

"While this removal of drive-through mailboxes occurred in my district, this post office is critical to the Island as a whole, not just local residents," said Council Member David Carr. “While a certain level of security might be sacrificed for convenience, the solution is to educate residents to not leave critical mail or mail with checks in mailboxes, rather than just taking them out entirely. A simple disclaimer on the mailboxes explaining the dangers of leaving any sensitive mail in them will allow for Staten Islanders to make an informed choice. I support informed choices, not no choices."

Malliotakis also led a letter to the U.S. Postmaster of Staten Island expressing local officials' concerns. Download a copy of the letter HERE.

WATCH MALLIOTAKIS' PRESS CONFERENCE HERE