Posted on 03/03/2024 3:21:26 PM PST by ChicagoConservative27
Criminals tie a string to something sticky, lower it into the big blue boxes, and pull out mail. They’re usually looking for checks and
Easy to cure but we have simpletons running the PO.
Construct all boxes with a shelf below the slot,sloping so mail will slide down. Shelf edge with serrated teeth half inch or so long.
String pulls up the mail, string is between two teeth, mail raked off and drops back to the bottom.
And every PO should have a security camera aimed at the mail drop box.
The problem I have is that our little town doesn’t have a post office. We HAD one, that was closed down several years ago because (I am convinced) we vote Republican. The nearest post office is now 10 miles away. So the blue boxes are our only alternative if we want to mail something. Of course, I don’t mail checks anymore except maybe 2 or 3 a year, but it’s still a concern.
You should send that to the post office. Great idea.
I like that idea. I’d suggest that the slot be made large enough to reach into, and then place very sharp, stiff wires so that letters would fall past the wires, but a hand reaching past would be pierced and couldn’t be pulled back. The mail thief could be collected at the regular pickup time, or he could gnaw his arm off for all I’d care.
Locked mail boxes.
I was at the post office near the corner of Canoga Ave & Roscoe one morning. I pull in to drop mail off in the drive thru and I saw the mailbox looked like it had a lock on it. I then parked and walked up to the entrance and saw 2 mailboxes but the slot was so narrow. I was standing there with 2 others looking at the boxes.
A guy passing by said go inside so I did and I could drop my mail in the normal box there built into the wall. I came across this article that said the mail boxes have anti-theft protection as people - drug addicts are fishing and pulling out the mail but the narrow slot stops this as only 1 letter at a time can go in.
The slots also have a downward curve to discourage any ‘fishing’....
Article: https://www.dailynews.com/2016/04/23/thieves-raiding-valley-mailboxes-prompt-postal-service-to-take-action/
In Miami, this happened after Mariel.
“They don’t want to pay the mailman to pick up the mail so they tell customers to not use the box.”
Exactly right. They are also trying to eliminate rural routes which just happen to depend on outgoing boxes like these.
Our Post Office outside boxes have been hit twice that I know of. I always mail inside.
There was an incident a while back in MN. The postmaster would look for birthday cards and steal those because they often have money or lottery tickets in them. This happened to a retired police officer, who then got up with the lottery commission and obtained some “special” scratch off tickets. Only when she tried to cash them in did she find that they were worth a free ride to jail.
A heartwarming story indeed.
See my #48.
Do. Not. Mail. Checks!
Years ago, driving to work, I noticed a guy going through mailboxes, so I notified authorities (nothing happened that I’m aware of), and I immediately started using the drive up boxes outside our Post Office (unless they were full). Then, I hear the outside boxes are being broken in to (our Post Office twice). Now I go inside to mail checks. Thanks for the info. I may have to start paying bills online, but I hate to post credit card info online. Woe is me!
It’s not like we never do it. But we do it a LOT less!
One option is to use a pen with blue or black non-erasable gel ink, as gel ink soaks into paper and is more difficult to remove than ballpoint-pen ink. I use a blue Uniball 207 Gel Pen for the rare occasion when I need to write a check. Maybe not totally foolproof, but it does give me some peace of mind.
Thanks. I’ll give it a shot.
The Aleutian Islands are 1500 miles long, with polar bears along the way.
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