topic Re: For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes in Community Chat

For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes

Scooby Doo — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:27:03 GMT

Reports on the news this morning about a woman driving down the street during the night and looking in every mailbox on the street. Supposedly looking for tax documents so she could steal SSN's and tax info to file false returns.

Just a warning to retrieve your mail and take it inside asap.

Re: For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes

cherry — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:28:43 GMT

Theives are really getting brazen.. Put a mousetrap in your box...it might give them a nasty surprise

Re: For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes

Bri36 — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:30:53 GMT

That's really why I like to get paperless documents if I can...

Re: For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes

Shanus — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:34:51 GMT

wrote:
Reports on the news this morning about a woman driving down the street during the night and looking in every mailbox on the street. Supposedly looking for tax documents so she could steal SSN's and tax info to file false returns.
Just a warning to retrieve your mail and take it inside asap.

@Scooby Doo Thank you for this important news...Another reason I take any mail w/ private info to mail at post office.

Re: For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes

tansy — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:37:14 GMT

It’s well worth the money to install a locked mailbox.

Re: For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes

SeaMaiden — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:37:47 GMT

@Scooby Doo In my neighborhood which is very large, most everyone has locked boxes and those get pried open and broke into now. A lock box is not a deterrent anymore. Best to get your mail out of the box as fast as possible and mail bills and such out going at the Post Office.

Re: For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes

chickenbutt — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:38:03 GMT

Mine doesn't lock, but I am cautious. Fortunately, my mailbox is on the front of my house. I'm home 99% of the time and the dog makes sure I know when the mailman comes.

One just must always have as much control as possible over their things. It's nothing new, but there is always somebody around the corner who wants to steal yours instead of honestly acquiring their own.

I'm on a nice, small street and, even as much as I have a hard time feeling safe, I feel pretty safe here. I still make sure I know when I'm expecting anything of value and keep a watch out. The dog also keeps track of the 'package man' (that's what he calls them).

Re: For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes

sunshine45 — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:38:15 GMT

this is why i dont even put outgoing mail in my mailbox until i see the mailman go up the street.

Re: For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes

blackhole99 — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:52:08 GMT

We live in a rural almost remote area, if someone wants to get into our mailbox they will. If we locked the box, they would just destroy it to get what they want. We've lived here for 37 years and our mail box was vandalized twice, it was at night and there was no mail in the box.

Re: For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes

Montana — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:49:44 GMT

I have a mail slot in my door so everything falls inside. Anything too big to get through the slot, the mail person knocks to let me know.

Re: For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes

Isobel Archer — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:50:05 GMT

Well if no one has stolen the several packages the postman has left in the street below my mailbox - in full view of anyone passing - then I doubt they'd steal something from inside the mailbox.

What worries me more is that since I continually get mail for other people, what mail am I missing?

Re: For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes

Nightowlz — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:54:12 GMT

We don't have a locked mailbox.

We are signed up with USPS for Informed Delivery that shows all the pieces of mail you are to receive each day.

I think they scan flyers, catalogs etc when not busy but they do scan all mail in envelopes or have been doing this with ours.

We also have a Rind Doorbell so if anyone takes mail out of our mailbox they will be on camera.

All our bills are paperless. I cannot remember the last time we received any type of tax documents in the mail or anything else for that matter with important social security numbers etc on it.

I received mail for 2 other people the other day. I walked down the street to put the mail in the mailboxes. One mailbox was full. Looked like they have not took their mail out for a month or so. Guess they don't pay their bills.

Re: For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes

Group 5 minus 1 — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:51:42 GMT

Where is this?

Re: For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes

Nightowlz — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:52:02 GMT

wrote:
Theives are really getting brazen.. Put a mousetrap in your box...it might give them a nasty surprise

@cherry Don't do that. You will give your mail delivery person a big surprise. Would not do that unless you are looking for a lawsuit.

Re: For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes

PAlady — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:52:20 GMT

This is why you should take all important mail to the post office to be sent out. I did that for years when I worked. I am retired now, sometimes I put mail in the box just before the mail carrier comes.

It is sad that you can not trust people these days.

Re: For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes

cherry — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:54:22 GMT

I would warn our mail lady, she would think it was great if a thief got a nasty surprise

Re: For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes

Bri36 — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:55:53 GMT

wrote:
Well if no one has stolen the several packages the postman has left in the street below my mailbox - in full view of anyone passing - then I doubt they'd steal something from inside the mailbox.

What worries me more is that since I continually get mail for other people, what mail am I missing?

@Isobel Archer, sign up for Informed Delivery. It's not available everywhere; but when you put in your address, it will tell you whether it's available or not.

Every morning I get an email telling me what to expect. If you don't receive something, you can let the Post Office know.

It even gives better tracking information for packages.

Re: For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes

Group 5 minus 1 — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 18:15:38 GMT

Where is this?

Re: For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes

Anita Hug — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 18:16:01 GMT

There is a lot of mail theft in my neighborhood. Partly because our usps carrier has a habit of leaving mailboxes open. He can't take the extra half second to shut each box on the route, I guess. There is no guessing as to when the mail has arrived because you can drive through the neighborhood and see all the mailboxes open with all the mail, and packages inside.

When I need to mail something, I always put it in an official blue post office mailbox to ensure that they receive it.

My Medicare advantage plan keeps nagging me to sign up for their mail order prescription plan, and they don't seem to accept the fact that I can not take the risk of having my expensive and critical medications lost or stolen. They actually suggested a post office box. Why would I pay the post office for a mailbox for the "convenience" of picking up prescriptions that I can simply get at the pharmacy? LOL!

Re: For Those Who Don't Have Locked Mailboxes

okaywitheasypay — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 18:23:09 GMT

@Bri36 @Nightowlz We have informed delivery also . It is a big help. Ours does not show magazines or flyers but letters and postcards. As stated you can track pkgs. even those transfered from UPS who usually has the postal id #on their site. Security cameras help too... at least you can have a picture of someone stealing your packages . Some thieves have savvy enough to recognize cameras and go away empty handed , if not you can post pictures on community sites / show police.

Perhaps the one poster was teasing about a mouse trap , but it could make a homeowner vulnerable to a law suit. I know we have many mail carriers depending on the day and vacations.