Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102
§1706 Injury to Mail Bags
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 83 — POSTAL SERVICE › § 1706
Summary
Damaging or tampering with a mail bag, pouch, or any item used to carry mail—or breaking staples or loosening locks, chains, or straps on them—on purpose to steal mail or make it unsafe can get you fined under federal law, jailed for up to three years, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §1706
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever tears, cuts, or otherwise injures any mail bag, pouch, or other thing used or designed for use in the conveyance of the mail, or draws or breaks any staple or loosens any part of any lock, chain, or strap attached thereto, with intent to rob or steal any such mail, or to render the same insecure, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 312 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 189, 35 Stat. 1124). A fine of “$1,000” was substituted for “$500” thus increasing the maximum to correspond with other comparable sections. (See section 1705 of this title.) Minor verbal changes were made.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 1706
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102