Why are all of the mail boxes welded shut?

Submitted by canalguyopen t3_1116oid in RhodeIsland

I just tried to mail something on my way to work, stopped at six different blue mailboxes in Lincoln and Pawtucket and every single one was welded shut. They weren’t unused out of the way boxes either. They were the popular ones on 116 and 126. Has this place become that much of a hell hole that we can’t even mail things anymore? What is going on?

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OrdovicianOccultist t1_j8d2eyt wrote

USPS has been replacing all of the blue mailboxes with boxes that only allow you to slide letters and flat mail in through a slot with teeth. This is to prevent “phishing”, where thieves literally send string down the opening with sticky glue or gum on the end to fish out all the mail. (Happened way more than people realize.) These boxes appear to be welded shut but actually have a slit for an opening at the top. Thieves across the country have responded by straight up robbing letter carriers for their keys though so not sure that plan worked out successfully. If the boxes are painted green they are not mailboxes at all, simply storage boxes for letter carriers on foot. (Pawtucket and Lincoln have many of these)

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AhChingados t1_j8d4cxl wrote

This feels right out of a western movie, holding up the train to take the mail (and any money in it)

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Status_Silver_5114 t1_j8d38rp wrote

This! And it’s not clear there’s a slot there so if you are used to the drawer style it seems like you can’t drop anything in there - it’s not well marked (ie no stickers or different color tape to show you where the opening is).

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unhpian t1_j8febut wrote

The phishing happened frequently enough on a box on Promenade Street they removed the box altogether. Its was next to a State Office (DEM) and over a 6 month period I knew of 12 people who put mail in that box that was never delivered. 3 had identities stolen, not sure if its related or not. It seems crazy to me, but I guess people are still mailing cash or paperwork that has sensitive info that assholes will steal

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United-Broccoli-5505 t1_j8d5waa wrote

Ah yes, mail boxes being weld shut with new slit openings = RI is hell hole.

People stealing mail is a nation wide problem.

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KennyWuKanYuen t1_j8e1oxo wrote

IDK why but the whole time reading this, I was under the impression that you were talking about residential letter boxes and why residents would weld them shut. Then scrolling down did I realise you were talking about postboxes.

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MarionberryRough4798 t1_j8d3kho wrote

Got pretty distressed trying to find an actual mail box around Christmas time. Paid postage for a small book then still had to wait in line for an hour to have it off

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nevitales t1_j8dsal6 wrote

USPS has free pickup for packages! We use it all the time, just need to set it up as late as the day before but can also schedule a pickup out a ways.

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brewbriguy t1_j8eazag wrote

They are like that due to scumbags stealing out of the regular mailboxes. The new ones are suppose to be fishing proof.

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godmode33 t1_j8d18hk wrote

You pretty much figured it out on your own, just ask yourself why would the usps spend the money and manpower to go around welding every box closed? That's probably the reason they did it. My guess people were urinating in them and lighting them on fire or something to that effect. So yeah pretty much, so bad that we can't even have mail boxes anymore. Sad.

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