There are constantly news stories out there about mailboxes
being vandalized. But what can you do to prevent this? Vandalism often happens
while people work, or during the night when everyone is asleep. There’s not
much you can do, right?
Wrong.
While it is true that you have little control over
vandalism, there are steps you can take to help prevent it. These steps don’t guarantee
your mailbox will be safe, but it might deter vandals or prevent further
attacks.
1. Consider in a heavy-duty mailbox. These
can be made with steel, mounted on tougher poles, and more. It will make your
mailboxes more difficult to destroy and vandals will likely seek easier targets.
Be careful though that the mailbox is strong without being a liability. Do your
research before installing something and be sure it is USPS approved.
2. If possible, keep
your mailbox mounted closer to your front door or porch. Vandals are more
likely to go for curbside mailboxes rather than approaching a front door.
3. Invest in a motion
sensor light. These are often installed near porches or garage doors. If a
vandal approaches your mailbox and the area is suddenly lit, they may
reconsider. If you don’t want to have that bright of a light on the road,
consider something such as solar lights to stop the mailbox from being concealed
in darkness all night.
4. Report any
vandalism. This can lead to the USPS or police looking into the incident,
which may prevent further problems.
5. Obtain Label 33
and attach it to your mailbox. You can get this from the Postal Inspection
Service, and it warns that intentional damage to a mailbox or theft is a crime.
Of course, there’s only so much you can do to prevent vandalism,
but these tips are a good start. See if any of them work for you!
