COMMENT 314408
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2012-08-30 01:41 PM |
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We had two mail thefts in the last couple of months here at Park Lane, Montecito. Last week I gave a bundle of mail I found near our mailboxes that had been slolen from 8 residences close by, so this is a huge problem right now. That mail had been riffled through. Currently we are replacing our Association boxes--4--with locking ones we purchased at the Home Improvement Center/ACE on Gutierrez St. They cost less than $200 ea., which I would have gladly paid five times more for to have saved all the hassle. They are very sturdy 18 gauge powder coated steel, with a pry proof locking door and anti-pick sidewinder type key keylock and very generous in size. Whatever you do, Don't put your outgoing mail in your box!!!! Good luck everyone. It's certainly a different world these days isn't it.
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COMMENT 314400P
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2012-08-30 01:17 PM |
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We got this locking mailbox in white through Costco online
http://www.costco.com/Browse/ProductSet.aspx?
Prodid=11769458&search=mailbox&topnav=&Mo=0&cm_r
e=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&N=5000043&whse=BC&Dx
=mode%20matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_Catal
ogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=mailbox&Ntt=mailbox&No=
0&Nty=1&Ntx=mode%20matchallpartial Uses batteries, no key necessary. Doesn't help with large parcels, and most of the mail carriers here fail to see when the red flag is pulled out for outgoing, unimportant mail. Otherwise, it is quite secure and holds a lot of mail.
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COMMENT 314280
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2012-08-30 09:44 AM |
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The proper place to report mail theft is the postal inspectors. The inspectors have police powers and can investigate crimes and arrest suspects. Please report these thefts here: https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/contactUs/filecomplaint
.aspx
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COMMENT 314234P
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2012-08-30 08:24 AM |
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only outgoing mail at our box is birthday cards or netflix. ALL else goes to the PO. Really should get a locking, but then where would x-lg deliveries go? (I have a giant mailbox) Hear determined thieves can get into the sheet steel ones; only ones to get are the plate steel?
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COMMENT 314119P
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2012-08-29 07:19 PM |
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Many decades ago my mail was ripped off on E Mtn drive, and I knew exactly who it was. The perp still lives on the drive, in the 300 block, ocean side. Probably still up to his same cocaine-fueled tricks.
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COMMENT 314075
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2012-08-29 05:53 PM |
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What a sad state of affairs, when you have to go through such rigamarole to protect your mail. Yes, it is a felony.
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COMMENT 314070
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2012-08-29 05:47 PM |
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Seems like a rather common occurrence these days, happened on the Riviera a couple years ago. Locking mail boxes are really the only answer. It may save you money and identity theft, well worth the investment.
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COMMENT 314032P
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2012-08-29 04:34 PM |
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We had outgoing mail stolen a few years ago (W. Mountain Dr. area) that included checks for bill payments--one check altered to read $400 and cashed by the thief at our bank--when we saw the check, it was so obviously faked, we wondered if the teller had been an accomplice. (We were credited eventually.) Four checks total were missing, the rest must have been too hard to alter--but we had late payments of course, major hassle. Luckily no credit card or mortgage checks. Stopped putting outbound checks in the mailbox unless I can see the mailman coming down the block. Started paying bills online, too....but of course things can go wrong there.
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COMMENT 313952P
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2012-08-29 02:39 PM |
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That's a felony, I believe, isn't it?
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COMMENT 313915
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2012-08-29 01:02 PM |
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This happened to us in the Eucalyptus Hill area a number of years ago. We were advised by the sheriff to take a few steps to protect ourselves, which we did. We removed any extraneous information such as phone number and license number off of our checks. We stopped using our mailbox for outgoing mail, and instead always put important mail into official blue mailboxes or take it to the post office. Lastly, we bought a locking mailbox, so incoming mail cannot be tampered with.
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COMMENT 313909
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2012-08-29 12:51 PM |
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Maybe you can get fingerprints from the thrown mail!
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COMMENT 313901
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2012-08-29 12:37 PM |
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Time to put Mr. Slither back into my mailbox - he likes it there - he can curl up and just wait for visitors.
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COMMENT 313894
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2012-08-29 12:13 PM |
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Call the credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, Equifax) and alert them, they can put a security "freeze" which helps thwart identity thieves. Most of these creeps are looking for money/checks but you never know.
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COMMENT 313888P
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2012-08-29 12:04 PM |
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Mail also being stolen along E. and W. Mountain Drive. I reported to PO, but don't know what they can or will do. It's been going on a while now (weeks); it seems like someone would spot them. Nice of them to throw stuff they don't want along the road so we know we're being robbed.
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