Landlords and property owners need to provide their tenants with a place to safely retrieve their mail. Here are a few tips and tricks to protect their mail.
One of the necessities of being a landlord or owner of a multi-tenant property is providing tenants with a place to retrieve their mail. Luckily, cluster mailboxes fit the bill, allowing mail carriers to drop off mail and tenants to retrieve it safely, securely, and physically intact. Nonetheless, cluster mailboxes still face their share of issues.
Without proper security measures in place, cluster mailboxes can be broken into, leading to stolen packages and identity theft. Unattended cluster mailboxes also face the potential for vandalism and can create situations that put tenants at risk of criminal activity. With these considerations in mind, here are several tips for securing your cluster mailbox against theft.
Lock It Up
Most cluster mailboxes have locks, as required by United States Postal Service regulations. But when install a cluster mailbox, make sure it contains high-quality locks. It may cost a little extra, but high-quality locks that are tamper-proof can ensure thieves have a tougher time getting into the mailboxes and grabbing contents.
Ask the manufacturer or supplier about locks that resist picking, drilling, or prying. When they lack an easy score, most thieves give up before trying.
Eyes in the Sky
Nothing puts off a potential thief or vandal more than direct observation. Of course, you can’t always be there to watch over your cluster mailbox. Or can you? Installing cameras near the box, out of the way but still in sight can dissuade criminals from approaching, much less breaking into the boxes.
Keep cameras pointed at the mailboxes to protect them from being obscured or damaged. If you don’t have the budget for a fancy system, a sticker alerting thieves to the presence of surveillance limits their intentions.
Educate the Tenants
Let the tenants know that you’re all in this together. Make sure they collect their mail regularly, preventing boxes from overflowing with items that may tempt thieves. Let tenants know about services offered by the USPS to prevent mail from building up.
For example, they can pause delivery for up to 30 days while out of town. Providing recycling bins can prevent the buildup of discarded fliers, circulars, empty envelopes, and other trash, as can regular clean ups of the area. Provide ways for the USPS mail carrier and delivery people to secure packages so that tenants can easily pick them up. A stack of unattended boxes and parcels is irresistible to thieves.
Light It Up
Another great way to put off thieves and prevent cluster mailbox vandalism is to shed a little light on the subject. Namely, turn bright lights on your mailboxes. When the sun goes down, thieves and vandals grow braver, and an unattended cluster mailbox in the dark is a sitting duck.
Light up the area to scare them off using motion sensor activated lights. The sudden glare is a surefire way to freak out criminals trying to break in. And they’re energy efficient, too.
These are just a few tips for securing your cluster mailbox against theft. Check with your local post office for more suggestions and ask your tenants for tips as well.