When you send something off in the mail, you expect it to get there, but what's in your mailbox could give away your identity to thieves.
Neighborhoods in and around Topeka have been hit.
Unfortunately it could take up to six months before the victims know anything is wrong.
For the Baranski's, having their mail and personal information stolen wasn't part of the picture.
"A police officer called from the Police Department, that's a little unnerving late at night. He ( the officer) seemed to have a lot of information about me. He said a lot of people along the route, their mailboxes had been raided," said Dennis Baranski.

It happened sometime last week, on the lonely road outside their Douglas County home. Dennis Baranski says it's not common, but in a rural community one could go a week without mail. For reasons like this, Topeka Police say rural areas can be an easy target.
"Nobody's around and it's so easy just to drive down the road and see a red flag up just like a postal carrier, open up the box, take the mail out, drive away, and nobody is going to see you."
Sargent Mike Taylor calls identity theft the crime of the future driving out today's biggest crime, auto theft.
"Identity theft is going to out pass it simply because it's difficult to detect. You're looking anywhere from 3 months to 6 months down the road before somebody may even realize they're a victim of identity theft."
That's along time before the Baranski's know wether the theft puts them in the red.
"It gives you a feeling of unease like you've been violated. We've had several sleepless nights over this, and it's unfortunate people feel they have to commit crimes to survive in our community," said Linda Baranski.
Topeka police recommend that you send all of your mail from one of the large blue post drops or send it directly from the post office itself.
Last year victims of identity theft lost 6 billion dollars nationwide.