GREENSBORO, N.C. — The goal is to make sure what is delivered to your mailbox by the US Postal Service actually makes it inside your house.
“The biggest and most important thing they can do is not to leave mail and packages unattended for any period of time,” said Kathy Woliung, US Postal Inspector.
How do you do that when you're getting home after dark and checking your mailbox? Or what do you do when you're out of town? 2 Wants To Know has two recommendations for you:
INFORMED DELIVERY
This is a free service. Sign-up in three steps on the USPS website. You get an email that shows you pictures of what is being delivered that day. If it's something a thief would want, a package, a credit card statement, or a card with a gift, you need to ask your neighbor to pick up your mail for you.
HOLD YOUR MAIL
You can have the post office hold your mail when you're out of town. Again, this is a free service. You sign up online, put your dates in, and you can do it the night before you leave.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE BLUE MAILBOXES
When it comes to dropping off mail at a blue box outside the post office, make sure you do it before the collection time, don't let your mail sit in it. Thieves target these blue boxes overnight.
DON'T SEND CASH THROUGH THE MAIL
There's no way of getting the post office to replace it if gets lost or stolen.