We all love getting mail - cards, letters, and packages for birthdays and holidays.
The mailbox, especially the rural mailbox, is an iconic symbol that practically begs to be in a Norman Rockwell painting.
Unfortunately, we live in times that require more protection than those boxes afford.
We now live in an era where we must keep track of all our receipts, bills and statements, and destroy them when we no longer need them.
We watch our credit card and bank statements to make sure there has not been unauthorized activity.
There are even companies that will help you get back on track if your identity is stolen.
The weak link in this is your mailbox.
If your mailbox cannot be secured, anyone can take out mail you've put out for the mailman, or any mail the mailman has put in for you.
This is now a big criminal industry; nearly half a million people a year have their identity stolen through mail theft each year.
It happens primarily in residential neighborhoods, but urban and rural areas are hit as well.
There are several things to consider when buying a locking mailbox.
First, make sure it is United States Postal Service approved.
If it does not meet USPS guidelines, the mail will not be delivered.
Second, make sure the locking mailbox is large enough for your needs.
If you get a lot of catalogs, magazines or small parcels, you will need a bigger box.
Third, get a security mailbox that will actually protect your mail.
There are many mailboxes being marketed that DO lock, but like the lock on a girl's first diary, will not keep out anyone who is really trying to get into it.
This pertains to the materials used to construct the mailbox as well.
You should look at the purchase of a locking mailbox as an investment in protecting your personal life and financial identity; chances are that a locking mailbox costing ten dollars more than a regular one is not going to have the heavy-duty construction or type of lock to deter any but the most casual attempts to gain entry.
Security mailboxes are available in many styles and shapes, singly or multiple, different thicknesses of metal, types of locks, and method of box assembly (i.
e.
spot weld, full weld, or riveting).
They can even be mounted on wall or freestanding on posts.
Most of the better locking mailboxes have been tested for various types of vandalism and attack, and the results are available for you by contacting the manufacturer.
Mailbox baseball is common in residential and rural neighborhoods, less common, but not unheard of, are cherry bombs and blasting caps; this in addition to the ones trying to get into the box for your mail.
Most common in this area is prying with screwdriver or chisel.
Security mailboxes of heavy gauge steel, full welding, and locks designed especially for this purpose can reduce all these problems to practically nothing.
Buying well the first time means there won't need to be a second, and possibly prevent the stress and aggravation of recovering from identity theft.
The mailbox, especially the rural mailbox, is an iconic symbol that practically begs to be in a Norman Rockwell painting.
Unfortunately, we live in times that require more protection than those boxes afford.
We now live in an era where we must keep track of all our receipts, bills and statements, and destroy them when we no longer need them.
We watch our credit card and bank statements to make sure there has not been unauthorized activity.
There are even companies that will help you get back on track if your identity is stolen.
The weak link in this is your mailbox.
If your mailbox cannot be secured, anyone can take out mail you've put out for the mailman, or any mail the mailman has put in for you.
This is now a big criminal industry; nearly half a million people a year have their identity stolen through mail theft each year.
It happens primarily in residential neighborhoods, but urban and rural areas are hit as well.
There are several things to consider when buying a locking mailbox.
First, make sure it is United States Postal Service approved.
If it does not meet USPS guidelines, the mail will not be delivered.
Second, make sure the locking mailbox is large enough for your needs.
If you get a lot of catalogs, magazines or small parcels, you will need a bigger box.
Third, get a security mailbox that will actually protect your mail.
There are many mailboxes being marketed that DO lock, but like the lock on a girl's first diary, will not keep out anyone who is really trying to get into it.
This pertains to the materials used to construct the mailbox as well.
You should look at the purchase of a locking mailbox as an investment in protecting your personal life and financial identity; chances are that a locking mailbox costing ten dollars more than a regular one is not going to have the heavy-duty construction or type of lock to deter any but the most casual attempts to gain entry.
Security mailboxes are available in many styles and shapes, singly or multiple, different thicknesses of metal, types of locks, and method of box assembly (i.
e.
spot weld, full weld, or riveting).
They can even be mounted on wall or freestanding on posts.
Most of the better locking mailboxes have been tested for various types of vandalism and attack, and the results are available for you by contacting the manufacturer.
Mailbox baseball is common in residential and rural neighborhoods, less common, but not unheard of, are cherry bombs and blasting caps; this in addition to the ones trying to get into the box for your mail.
Most common in this area is prying with screwdriver or chisel.
Security mailboxes of heavy gauge steel, full welding, and locks designed especially for this purpose can reduce all these problems to practically nothing.
Buying well the first time means there won't need to be a second, and possibly prevent the stress and aggravation of recovering from identity theft.