8.139 Attempted Mail Theft (18 U.S.C. Sec. 1708) is a criminal offense in the United States that involves attempting to steal mail from a postal service. It is illegal to take, open, or destroy any mail that is being sent or delivered by the United States Postal Service, as outlined in 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1708. There are two types of attempted mail theft: (1) Attempted Theft of Mail by Taking and (2) Attempted Theft of Mail by Opening. Attempted Theft of Mail by Taking involves attempting to take mail that has been delivered or is in the process of being delivered by the USPS, without the permission of the mail recipient. Attempted Theft of Mail by Opening involves attempting to open mail after it has been delivered, without the permission of the mail recipient. Individuals who are convicted of attempted mail theft can face fines, imprisonment, or both.