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 Replies: 25 / Views: 4,210 |
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Moderator
 United States
16677 Posts |
I live in a very quiet tract community where the mail boxes are all situated curb side, in groups of 3 on a 4X4 post. I prefer to have all my mail (including packages) delivered to my house. Yesterday I arrived home from work at 11PM, to see a $100 coin I won on ebay, just sitting in my unlocked mailbox  It was supposed to be signed for! Today, I made the decision to buy a very heavy gauge steel locking mailbox. I've never had a P.O. box and like I said, I'm just more comfortable having the convenience of going straight home, and my mail is there. I've just moved here and asked my neighbors if mail theft was a problem in this neighborhood. They both told me never. Well, I don't believe in never. swcoin.ecrater.com
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Valued Member
United States
80 Posts |
Yeah, if you're regularly going to be getting high-value things shipped to you, it's probably a good idea to have a higher-security way of storing things before you get them.
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Valued Member
United States
207 Posts |
That's not good. At least we have one of those mailbox structures with individually locking boxes.
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
The only reason I don't have a PO Box is because my mail is hand-delivered to the office of a business, and the occupant of that office is my landlord whom I trust completely.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1200 Posts |
Your neighbors may interpret your new mailbox as a manifestation of your distrust/suspicion of them and react negatively to it. In addition to that, your new mailbox might send out a loud "I GET VALUABLE MAIL!!" message to any bad dogs in the area. Either way, unwanted attention/gossip would be nearly inevitable.
If I was in your position, I might consider either living with the existing mailbox as is (obvious shortcomings notwithstanding) or else using a PO Box to have valuables sent to and having everything else sent to the home address.
But--whatever route I chose--the one concept I'd be sure to put maximum effort into would be cutting the lowest possible profile and being as inconspicuous as I could manage to be.
Edited by Fat Freddy
12/04/2012 10:33 pm
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Moderator
 United States
16677 Posts |
There are actually other locked boxes in the neighborhood, and my two closest neighbors are cool with it. Larry, my neighbor directly across the street, works from home. I gave him a heads up as well.
This mailbox actually looks like a non-locking one from the outside. It's not until you open the door, that you see the locked door with a slot large enough to put small parcels, like a 000 padded envelope in.
They would have to cut it off it's foundation if they really wanted to get to the contents, in which case I'm done anyway :o
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Moderator
United States
14463 Posts |
If I was going to be out of town, I was having the post office hold my mail at first. I then got a P.O.Box and have most orders sent there. A few weeks ago, I placed an order that would only deliver to the billing address (or so I thought), so I started having the post office "temporary forward" my mail from the house address to the P.O.Box. That worked for most things, but Monday I had a package placed in my mailbox from a different company that had "do not forward". The order I was worried about, actually was sent to the P.O. Box. I have stopped the forwarding now. Will do back to holding mail, if I have to.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
12815 Posts |
I always have my US Mint shipments sent to my place of work when possible. If it's a UPS/FedEx shipment, the receptionist is there to sign for it, or if it's USPS, there is a locked box in the mail room. My employer doesn't mind and we receive a lot of packages daily anyway. I feel like that's your best bet (and free) if you have that option.
If not and you're worried about it...yeah, a PO Box is probably the way to go. They're not that much. I used to have one at the local USPS branch, but I do know they also offer them at certain UPS and other shipping stores. Anyone have any experience with those places? My USPS PO Box wasn't a big deal and I don't think I ever lost any mail (I definitely did not lose any valuable shipments).
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Valued Member
United States
397 Posts |
I also always have any packages and coins sent to my work. I am only partially worried about having them leave the package on the doorstep and having it taken. I am more worried that I will not be home to sign for the package, and from experience they either send the package back after a single attempt of delivery... or I never can get away to their office to pick up in person.
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Rest in Peace
United States
10625 Posts |
I am fortunate to have my brother pick up my mail at the post office before it leaves out for delivery. He's a rural carrier in the town next to the town I live in. I use his address for all coin purchases and trades. I pass his house everyday commuting to and from work. Oh, and I trust him...  |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2869 Posts |
I get everything sent to my mothers house because she is always in to sign for packages. On saying that the postman (who I know) usually just leaves it off at my house which is the next one down the road anyway.
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Forum Dad
United States
24150 Posts |
Quote:
A few weeks ago, I placed an order that would only deliver to the billing address (or so I thought), so I started having the post office "temporary forward" my mail from the house address to the P.O.Box.
That worked for most things, but Monday I had a package placed in my mailbox from a different company that had "do not forward". The order I was worried about, actually was sent to the P.O. Box. The UPS Store offers a service where you get a unique plain looking physical address at the store. It's like an incognito PO box. |
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Valued Member
United States
331 Posts |
I have all my mail delivered to a P.O. box. I live very rural and my regular mailbox is 3/4 of a mile from the house. During the holiday season thieves will come by after the Mailman and scoop everybody's boxes at once and then sort it and throw it as they drive. It's not unusual to find my mail lying in the road miles from my house. But I only get junk mail there anyway.
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Moderator
United States
16677 Posts |
Bobby, what do they charge?
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1116 Posts |
I used to work for a company that allowed personal mail to be delivered there. So I used to have my mail sent there for convenience. However, they instituted a policy that all mail had to opened by the mailroom personnel. This worked fine until one of the VP's had a piece of personal mail while in the process of going through a divorce. Then that benefit was lost for everyone.
I keep a postal box because I also purchase coins from various on-line forums and really don't want them to know my personal address. The only time that people wanted to know my address is if they were shipping the items via UPS or FedEx and neither of these companies will deliver to a post office box.
The security of a post office box is a plus.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
Meant to be signed for? You should make this point clear to them. Ask them if the package arrived (i.e. has it been signed for), being ambiguous as to whether you got it. If not, they are in some troubles. You could do the right thing and tell them to get it signed for, or you could take advantage of it (probably best you dont).
If theyhave a signature on record then thats a pretty serious issue you'd need to take up with their HQ.
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Replies: 25 / Views: 4,210 |
Posted 12/04/2012 10:15 pm
