Who Owns Mailboxes

Started by BruceC3 • 8 replies • 3923 views

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BruceC3 (Ohio)
Posts: 17

Posted:

Association put in mailboxes, gave each owner ONE key to thiers. President quits,
months later ex hands over mailbox keys. A couple board members wanted new locks, they were outvoted cause of cost.

So our keys to the US POST office mailboxes that take in our mail was sitting in some lawbreakers (long story) home and who knows copied?

Are we bound by board laws not to disclose this to the owners because we were outvoted?

GlenL (Ohio)
Posts: 5,491

Posted:

I no ow no law that prevents you if asked from saying the Board discussed that but decided that it would cost too much. Without knowing exactly what type of mailboxes you have, I can only speak towards ours. Only the mail carrier has a key that can open all of the boxes at once to deliver the mail and each homeowner has a key to the lock that controls their individual box.

One of the individual locks broke and the homeowner went to Home Depot and bought a replacement lock for a few bucks. If in doubt, there is nothing stopping you from replacing the lock as long as it meets USPS standards. For that info ask your mail carrier or local postmaster.

Studies show that 5 out of 4 people have problems with fractions

GlenL (Ohio)
Posts: 5,491

Posted:

I no ow no OOPS I know of no

Studies show that 5 out of 4 people have problems with fractions

SureshD
Posts: 268

Posted:

Why all the panic?

My mailbox in a 98 home community has no lock, key or anything beyond what is needed to keep it shut when the wind blows abd dry when it rains.

Tampering with U.S.P.S. activities is a no-no at the Federal level.

So quick to assume the "law breaker" is out to get others mail or other paranoid fears.

JanetB2 (Colorado)
Posts: 4,219

Posted:

It would be foolish for someone to mess with the mailboxes and get caught.

Mailboxes are considered federal property, and federal law (Title 18, United States Code, Section 1705), makes it a crime to vandalize them (or to injure, deface or destroy any mail deposited in them). Violators can be fined up to $250,000, or imprisoned for up to three years, for each act of vandalism. https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/radDocs/tipvandl.htm

Most mailboxes throughout the country do not have locks.

SteveM9 (Massachusetts)
Posts: 3,699

Posted:

Quote:

Are we bound by board laws not to disclose this to the owners because we were outvoted?

Feel free to disclose their mailbox is not secure and they may want to pay, at their own expense, for a new lock install. Some may do it, others may not.

BruceC3 (Ohio)
Posts: 17

Posted:

If he had the keys in his possession knowingly for a period of time and the ex president allowed it. We say he can foot the bill, expensive yes, but better safe than sorry. He withheld one of the keys and told owners there was only one key. So one would question HIS motive and the ex and her felon boyfriends motive for hanging on to the extra key for an extended period of time and lying to the owners. why would they need OWNERS keys to their mailbox, oh wait, is that considered paranoia? Your right the mailman has the main key that opens the front, the rest of us were given one key. We say the association should go after the prior president to foot the bill, We've already contacted the US Postal Service to see legally what can be done.

SusanW1 (Michigan)
Posts: 5,202

Posted:

Then let the Feds do their investigation, and then everything will be revealed.

What you have posted here is just speculation and accusation.

SteveM9 (Massachusetts)
Posts: 3,699

Posted:

Quote:

We've already contacted the US Postal Service to see legally what can be done.

I fail to see that any crime has been committed. What kind of crime did you think happened?

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