Post boxes may betargeted by thieveswarn Rye Police

A police spokesman said: “You may be aware of the reported thefts of Royal Mail post boxes which have been occurring nationally. We have seen a number of reported incidents of this nature in Wealden.

“Please can you be aware of any suspicious activity around the small style post boxes, which are usually embedded into a wall.

“Always call 999 if you see anyone attempting to remove one of these post boxes. If you see one of these post boxes for sale at auction houses, antique shops or similar, and there is no key to access it please report this to us on 101.

“In most circumstances if there is no key to access the post box it may be stolen. Always report suspicious activity to us by calling 101 or by visiting the Sussex Police website. In an emergency please call 999.”

Post box thefts have become wide-spread across the country. At least nine post boxes have been stolen in West Yorkshire, the Royal Mail have said and there have been thefts in Suffolk and Salisbury.

It is thought they may be sold for scrap or exported to foreign collectors.