[ErnBatavia]

We have a padlock for our mailbox, which the carrier thankfully utilizes for us....a few years ago, I noticed a piece of our 'flag up outbound' mail in the street a few houses down the street -- along with somebody else's torn-open envelope; this one had obviously been a mortgage payment and the check was missing.

After I called the Post Office and police, the officer actually was able to contact the woman who's house payment had been snagged, and she was apparently able to stop payment on it.

[Gaffer]

I never put a piece of mail in my mail box with the flag up or down. I just don’t do it. I always take to post office.

As for packages, I pretty much track whatever I purchase online and know what days they are expected to arrive, and I watch for them. I also have a wireless remote alarm that goes off when the door to the mailbox is opened.