It is a sad sign of the times that rugged, sturdy vandalism proof mailboxes are becoming the norm even in suburbia.
Where yesterday a somewhat flimsy aluminum mail receptacle sufficed, a security mailbox is no more often than not the way to go.
In the past the worst thing that could happen might have been the occasional rock thrown at a mailbox.
In extreme cases objectionable materials might have been deposited inside the mailbox or maybe in other extreme cases the little flag alerting the mail carrier to some outgoing mail could have been ripped off.
Today, vandals are known to deface mailboxes with spray paint, knives, and simply brute physical force, while in the countryside it appears to have become the norm to see mailboxes ripped off their stakes by those driving by.
In addition to the foregoing, identity theft is becoming a most serious consideration and those who fear that such crooks will steal their credit card information or even bank account access there is a good reason for having rugged, sturdy vandalism proof mailboxes.
Purchasing such improved mail receptacles is not hard to do and most big box home improvement stores now carry them as a matter of normal inventory.
They are a bit more expensive than their lightweight counterparts, but if you live in an area where you might find consistent and recurring vandalism to be the norm, a rugged, sturdy vandalism proof mailbox is certain to soon pay for itself – especially when compared to the amount of money it would cost to replace a less expensive model time and again.
