Are you sick and tired having your mailbox vandalized or covered with graffiti? You're not alone. You'd think in this day and age of electronic communication good old-fashioned mailboxes are a thing of the past, but they aren't. While many of us do most of our correspondence and bill paying via email or online, traditional postal service isn't going to go away anytime soon, and until then your mailbox is vulnerable to abuse.



Unfortunately, there is little we can do to keep undesirables from attacking letter boxes, but there are ways to keep mail safe and make mail boxes a less desirable target for the bad guys. You do that by replacing old standard issue mailboxes with specially designed and virtually indestructible lockable mailboxes.

Lockable residential mailboxes are made from very tough polymer material that's formulated to withstand not only severe impact and abuse, but also the sun. The materials used are UV-stabilized; they are essentially the same employed for automotive and outdoor plastics and other applications where strong and durable materials are needed. Not even the colour will fade.

Unbreakable letterboxes come in a variety of shapes, colors and designs. The most popular are the traditional freestanding, post-mounted boxes. These can be mounted on conventional wooden posts, or special aluminum posts that are colour-coordinated with the mail box. Specially designed mounting brackets very securely attach the box to the post. A properly mounted polymer mailbox is almost impossible to break off. It is able to withstand all attacks.

Another popular design consists of upright letterboxes that are mounted to walls. These are generally used in places where space is an issue. They are often used in apartment blocks. Uprights come in many different colours, making it easy to have them fit in and blend in. Uprights have a top-loading design so drivers can get their mail without leaving the car.

It always surprises me that so many people still have unlocked mailboxes. It is good to know that there are still places in this world where one neither has to lock a car, garage or even front door, but why take a chance? Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes, and one that can cause major problems. All it takes for it to happen to you is someone stealing your mail. Bills, official papers, and many other documents include enough personal information to make it easy for a criminal to get access to your accounts, often with devastating consequences. A strong lock makes it much more difficult to swipe mail, and this deterrent alone discourage theft.

Bottom line? As long as we still get "snail-mail," and that may be many years to come, having an unbreakable, lockable mailbox makes total sense. Those mailboxes are strong; they won't bend, rot or rust; they are attractive and available in many colors; they are waterproof so your mail won't get soaked, and the lock provides a god degree of security. If your letter box is old or damaged box, make sure to replace it with one of those new unbreakable ones that have a lock. It's inexpensive insurance.