11th Cir. Pattern Jury Instr. (Criminal) O66.1

18 U.S.C. § 1708

(First Paragraph)

It’s a Federal crime to steal mail from the United States mail.

The Defendant can be found guilty of this crime only if all the following

facts are proved beyond a reasonable doubt:

(1) the [letter] [package] [mail matter] described in the indictment was

[in the United States mail] [in a post-office or post -office station]

[in a letter box] [in a mail receptacle] [in a mail route] [in an

authorized depository for mail matter] [with a letter or mail

carrier]; and

(2) the Defendant knowingly stole the mail.

Mail is in the United States mail if it’s in a post-office, in an authorized

depository, with a mail carrier, or if it has been placed in the custody of a mail

carrier.

A private mail box or mail receptacle is an “authorized depository for mail

matter.” Mail hasn’t been delivered until it has been taken from the depository by

the addressee or someone acting for the addressee.

The word “steal” includes any act by which a person purposely takes

property belonging to someone else without the owner's permission and with the

intent to keep the property for that person’s own use or for any pe rson other than

the true owner.