Is it illegal to keep mail that isn't yours

In most jurisdictions, it is illegal to keep mail that doesn't belong to you. Here's why:

1. Theft: Mail is considered personal property, and taking someone else's mail without their consent is considered theft. In the United States, for example, the United States Postal Service (USPS) considers mail theft a federal offense, punishable by fines and imprisonment.
2. Privacy: Mail contains personal and confidential information, and unauthorized access or possession of someone else's mail can violate their privacy.
3. Identity theft: Mail can contain sensitive information, such as credit card offers, bank statements, and identification documents, which can be used to commit identity theft.

In the United States, the following laws and regulations apply to mail theft:

• 18 U.S. Code § 1702: "Whoever, being a postal employee, or having the custody of any mail, or of any package, or of any article, or of any matter, or of any thing, whatsoever, which is intended to be carried or conveyed by mail, or by any other means, shall steal, or embezzle, or take, or carry away, any such mail, or package, or article, or matter, or thing, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both."
• 39 U.S. Code § 3001: "Whoever, being a postal employee, or having the custody of any mail, or of any package, or of any article, or of any matter, or of any thing, whatsoever, which is intended to be carried or conveyed by mail, or by any other means, shall steal, or embezzle, or take, or carry away, any such mail, or package, or article, or matter, or thing, shall be guilty of a felony and shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both."

In other countries, similar laws and regulations may apply. For example, in Canada, the Criminal Code prohibits the theft of mail and other postal items.

In summary, it is illegal to keep mail that doesn't belong to you, as it is considered theft, a violation of privacy, and a potential means of committing identity theft.