| There's a reason why the Post Office uses those | | | | properly for years. You also want the mail box to |
| big locking mailboxes with the locking | | | | resist attempts to gain entry.-- Deadbolt locks. |
| compartment on the bottom. It's the same | | | | Deadbolts are much harder to both pick and pop |
| reason you should, too.They do it so people with | | | | open than are cheaper spring-type locks.-- |
| bad intentions don't steal the mail.Identity theft is | | | | Seperate mechanism for outbound mail. Often this |
| big business-- both doing it and preventing it.There | | | | is a clip attached to the outside door box.Locking |
| are two things, however, which will go a long way | | | | mail boxes can either mount on a post, a wall or |
| to preventing your vital information from falling | | | | even built into a pier or pillar to match your |
| into the wrong hands. A paper shredder, | | | | home's architecture.Locks run the gamut, from |
| preferably a cross-cut model. And a secure, not | | | | cheap spring locks to keypad activated |
| just locking, mail box.So what should you look for | | | | deadbolts.There are enough colors and styles |
| when you shop for a secure locking mailbox?-- A | | | | available to enable almost anyone to enjoy mail |
| large drop chute with an angled design. Mail should | | | | security without robbing from curb appeal.Identity |
| drop into a locked box, where it can wait safely | | | | thieves are like all other crooks. They look for the |
| for you to retrieve it. This allows large envelopes | | | | easy pickings. Take yourself out of that group by |
| and magazines to fall out of the reach of sticky | | | | buying and installing a truly secure locking mailbox |
| fingers.-- Plenty of storage room. You want to be | | | | soon.John McCabe writes for Hearth & Home, a |
| able to leave for a few days without having your | | | | collection of home improvement articles and |
| mail fill the box and stick out the mail slot. A | | | | resources to make your home more secure, |
| locking mail box with envelopes sticking out | | | | valuable and fun. Hearth & Home is part of the |
| defeats the purpose.-- Sturdy construction. You | | | | Web Guides Network. |
| want your mailbox to look good, and to function | | | | |