My Account
Crime Prevention Week, November 8-14
By Sergeant Kirsty Winthrop, NZ Police – Waitemata West
With increased use of postal and delivery services lately, Police are seeing an increase in items being stolen from letterboxes and properties.
Whether it be standard mail or courier delivered parcels and packages, when these items are left they become vulnerable to theft. Often it is credit cards, vouchers/gift cards or valued goods that are the target for thieves. Here are some measures that can reduce the risk:
• Clearing your letterbox in a timely manner is a simple yet effective way to reduce mail theft, especially where mail is easier to see or partially sticking out of the letterbox.
• Putting a hold on your mail delivery if going away can prevent an overflow or mail sitting unattended.
• Providing clear delivery instructions for couriers to leave a package safely hidden or secured within your property so it isn’t visible from the roadside is a deterrent.
• If you are unlikely to be home for a couriered parcel delivery, and it cannot be easily hidden or secured until you are home, consider having it delivered to an alternative address (i.e. to work or to a shared bubble friend, neighbour or family member).
• Lockbox options for larger packages and standard letterboxes are available if considering replacing or upgrading.
• Installing security cameras and/or security camera messaging near your letterbox or front of property is often a great deterrent.
• Where practical consider click and collect over delivery.
If you find mail or items you believed to be stolen, secure it and either give it to the intended recipient, if safely able to do so, or it can be returned to the sender (if known) or handed to your local police station. It is an offence to keep mail or items that do not belong to you.
Additionally, if you see suspicious persons or behaviour around letterboxes or properties call 111 to advise Police if it is happening now (for historic occurrences the number to dial is 105).
Mail theft should be reported to Police, as it gives Police the best opportunity to intervene. Reporting the issue to NZ Post and your local Neighbourhood Support is helpful too.
For more information or advice, contact your local community constable or police station.
