Ah, the humble letterbox.
You probably don’t think about it much, it’s just where your postie deposits your mail and anybody else dumps their junk mail.
But be mindful, because as well as being a beacon for Domino’s Pizza leaflets, it might be a source of take out for a would-be burglar too.
Yes folks, a thief is as likely to try to burglarise you via your letterbox as any other means and they do it by sticking their arm or an implement through trying to lift the latch from the inside, or with a fishing pole type gadget crafted to hook a key left too close to the door and in plain sight.
And don’t be thinking these poles can’t be that long, the police have said they’ve known them to be 3 or 4 metres in length.
So, what do you do to close this unfortunate gap in your door and security?
Well, first and bloody foremost, don’t leave keys in plain sight and close to your door! Take a look through your own letterbox, if you see something a burglar would be interested in like a house key, a car key, or a wallet, be sure to shift such items out of the way and out of sight. Valuables should always go out of sight or it’s you that’s out of your mind.
But as for this means of access itself, your letterbox, is yours an old one? Is it just a basic one flap deal? Then we might suggest that it’s worth investing in a newer model regardless and a neat dual purpose option is a draught excluder letterbox. Those tight rows of nylon bristles around the edge will nicely prevent anyone’s clear view from the outside and keep your expensive heating inside.
Maybe though you already have a double flapped letterbox? For those there’s the option of a letterbox restrictor, a clever little gadget that screws behind the door and very simply stops the inside flap of the letterbox being pushed back fully. Neat and effective, it will definitely stop anybody and anything reaching in and since the distance the flap can be lifted is adjustable you simply move it back a bit when you’re expecting that book from Amazon.
Then there’s always a mail cage you might fit. Letters fall into it, it stops hands and other implements being forced through it and it’s a good way to prevent the dog from eating your mail and the postman’s fingers.
You can also upgrade to a letterbox expressly designed for extra security. These anti vandal , anti burglar, anti-snap, even anti arson letterboxes have to meet strict compliance standards to prove their usefulness and durability and are available in wooden and uPVC doors versions.
Whatever you do though, even if it is just the simple act of keeping your keys out of sight, remember what a thief loves most is spotting an easy target.
Make sure that’s not through your letterbox.
