Locking mail box

RickS · Nov 3, 2006

I would like to put up a locking mail box on our rural road. I'm concerned about mail theft and vandalism.

My requirements are:
1. Large enough to hold mail for one week if needed
2. Can accept small packages (say 6"x6"x10")
3. Access to mail should be from rear.
4. I'm willing to pay some money for a good box, but not over $300.

Any thoughts.

MrJimi · Nov 3, 2006

Try this
Private Locking Mailboxes, Residential Locking Mailbox

Jim

czechsonofagun · Nov 3, 2006

RickS said:
I would like to put up a locking mail box on our rural road. I'm concerned about mail theft and vandalism.

here is one:

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Productgroup.aspx?Prodid=11097933&search=mail&Sp=S&Mo=37&cm_re=1-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&N=0&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=All&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=mail&Ntt=mail&No=4&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1

Wil · Nov 4, 2006

Rick,

I'm glad you posted this. I just had my paycheck stollen from my mail box the other week and went back to the PO box in the city where I work, until I could locate a good locking box.

I like the one Prokop links to, but I'm not a Costco member, here is a link to another site that sells them, in case you think that one would work and are also not a Costco member.

SecureLogic Mail Vault Keyless Entry Mailbox

Wil

RickS · Nov 4, 2006

Thanks for the links.

Sorry to hear about your check being stolen, Wil. Let us know what you chose for a mailbox.

HappyCPE · Nov 4, 2006

Here is a possibility - doors on front and back so you don't have to go into traffic.
Mailboxes.com - Mailboxes, lockers, signage and postal specialties

Phils · Nov 5, 2006

Dunno if this would be just for you or for multiple boxes. We had the theft problem and I built a locking mailbox out of a bank of high-school lockers (laid on its side). I disassembled it, then reassembled it so that:

Theres one full width door on top that accesses all 6 addresses (even tho we only use 3, that's just the way the thing had to be built).

After letters or small parcels get dropped in the top, they travel at 45 degrees down through the next section.

The mail stops in the bottom row of lockers, accessable with a padlock for each individual address. You can neither reach nor see the mail by looking in the top door. We've had 10 days mail accumulate with no problems.

It's worked fine for well over a decade and the local post office has sent people to look at it when they've asked how to solve a theft problem.

I'll snap a photo and post it tomorrow. May not help you RickS but even if not, it may help someone else that reads the thread.

Phil

RickS · Nov 5, 2006

Thanks, Phil. I'm anxious to see the pictures.

I was under the impression that any mailbox had to be "USPS Approved", not just homemade?

Phils · Nov 6, 2006

We were on the waiting list with the USPS for one of the community aluminum boxes for years before we gave up and built this one. We checked with the PO and asked the requirements. Mainly, as I remember, the height the mail carrier required was the most important thing. The "USPS approved" they said wasn't required. At any rate, they approved our plan with no objections. It's as secure as could possibly be and much more secure than those aluminum community boxes which regulary get pried open in our area on the first of a month.

Looking at the pictures I realize how beat up the box is getting... it's had a rough life. You can see where someone sideswiped it when turning around in our driveway... I think it hurt their vehicle more than our box.

I can give you more details on the construction if you want. Mainly, as I said, it involved simply disassembling the lockers and putting them all back together with a slightly different configeration. My mail gets dropped in the slot that's third from the left. I get it from the open box on the bottom that's fourth from the left. The 45 degree slide is what makes it difficult to access the mail from the top.

Phil