The basics of a locking mailbox

With e-commerce and online shopping, a large part of modern shopping culture is shifting online rapidly. According to a recent study, online sales in the US, UK, Germany, and China will reach $600 billion by the end of next year. The fact that most of our shopping is online makes the security of our mailboxes more important than ever. There has never been as much mail volume as there is today. A locking mailbox will provide security for your mail and packages.

A locking mailbox is similar to a normal curbside mailbox. The postal officer or courier puts the package through the incoming mail slot. That slot is not locked and opens inward. It should be big enough to accept mail and small parcels.

Once the mail is in the locking mailbox, your packages and mail are protected from theft. For additional security, make sure the incoming mail slot is too small for hands to get through. In addition, some locking mailboxes contain a mechanism which prevents prying and leveraged entry. According to California Mailboxes, secure mailboxes are especially well suited for rural areas, as rural mailboxes require a bit more security.

One thing to remember is that although a locking mailbox protects incoming mail, outgoing mail remains unprotected. Some mailboxes have a red flag which indicates when there is outgoing mail and this can act as a signal to thieves. The only way to protect outgoing mail is to use a secure location or a USPS blue box.