Mailbox Security

[rolsby]

Secure (aka lockable) Mailbox, Post Office Box, or both?

I'm thinking secure mailbox.  Something like this:


Just not looking forward to mounting it to a brick edifice...

Post Office box would be beneficial for bills and those situations when I don't want people to know my home addres.

Are there other "mail" security tips you have, Alex?

Not my pic, just found it on Google.

[Alex Haddox]

I'll have to think about this one. I've had lots of mail stolen over the years, even from within locked mailboxes behind locked gates. The locks on these mailboxes are not really secure. They will only prevent the casual person walking by, but not a determined crook.

I even chased off a teenager once who I caught breaking into my condominium mailbox on a regular basis. He was stealing magazines and Netflix videos right out of my box. I finally heard him rattling the mailboxes from my open window and booked downstairs and out of my door (I was home sick that day). He never came back after I ran after him. I will avoid living within a few block of a high school again. More theft there than any other place I've lived (car break-ins, gangs, shootings, graffiti, stolen mail, etc.). Damn kids!

I've also had mail that I have left out for pickup stolen. Again, primarily Netflix videos... Nice big, red, easily identifiable from a distance packaging.

[gitt1]

I worked for the postal service for a few years.  I'm surprised the system works as well as it does;  a federal crime rap means nothing if there is zero chance of getting caught.

[Daeglan]

I see no reason you couldn't replace the lock with a sturdy one. I have been wondering how to handle packages as well.

[gitt1]

How secure can the lock be when you can rip off the entire box.  Mailboxes have to be ok'd by the postmaster general, but you could still put brick around it and cut out the bottom so incoming mail falls out of reach into a locked chamber.
Lots of time to think on a 120 mile route.

[rolsby]

I floated the ideas of the PO Box and secure mailbox to the wife.  She was positive to the PO Box but apparently not for bills because we may need them for residency confirmation; which, to me, defeats the purpose of the expense.  She was not interested in the secure mailbox because apparently we don't live in Baltimore anymore *sigh* and more importantly, we rent so we would have to uninstall it upon leaving.  Overall, an unproductive meeting.