By Michael Finney
Oakland, California—September 20, 2005—
Think about what is in your mail and you'll know it's worth protecting -- checks, sometimes cash and information that an identity thief would love to get his hands on.
Sue Kennedy, Oakland: "There have been problems since we've been here. There have been instances of stolen mail."
Sue Kennedy lives in the Oakland Hills. She's describing a problem that is common in Bay Area hillside and rural communities.
These mail boxes are easy to rip-off.
Wallace Fox, letter carrier: "Security up here is kind of bad. People follow along right behind me when they know it's a good day."
Well they aren't going to do that with Sue's mail. She has a high-tech mailbox outside her home. It's actually more like a safe with twin locking cylinders. A casual mail thief would never get inside.
Sue Kennedy, Oakland: "They have actually come up here and pried open mail boxes, thrown mail around but they have never gotten into this one."
Gina Guthrie, Secure Mail Vault: "It is more than a mailbox, it's a vault, it's a safe for your mail."
Gina Guthrie works for Secure Logic, the Modesto company that manufacturers the Secure Mail Vault.
Gina Guthrie, Secure Mail Vault: "It was designed initially to combat identity theft, mail theft. We all know it's growing in California and nationwide and this was a direct response to that problem."
Jeff Fitch, U.S. postal inspector: "It slows down the thieves and makes the box unattractive to thieves, so they may pass you by."
Jeff Fitch says his agency goes hard at mail thieves.
Jeff Fitch, U.S. postal inspector: "We have theft squads that work here in San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose. It is a high priority. It is a very serious crime. One violation of mail theft is potentially five years in federal prison and a $250,000 dollar fine."
The price is $199 dollars.
To learn more about the Secure Mail Vault, visit https://securemailvault.com/
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