As community mail boxes get harder to crack, thieves are going after residential mailboxes, 91原创 RCMP are warning.

An advisory by the local detachment was distributed with the latest 91原创 City newsletter.

As Canada Post installs new, harder-to-crack community mailboxes in the 91原创s, 鈥減rivately owned boxes of apartment, townhouse and single family residences are being hit鈥� the bulletin states.

Crooks are getting into apartment lobbies and rummaging through outside mailboxes, it said.

91原创, which has many community mail boxes located in rural areas where there is little surveillance, was the mail theft in the Lower Mainland and even Canada for a number of years, with as many as 20 mail thefts a night.

In many cases, the multiple thefts were the result of and the theft rate dropped with their arrest.

The switch to newer, heavy-duty community mail boxes reduced mail theft substantially, with just 20 reported incidents in in a six-month period.

The RCMP bulletin said a few simple changes can make residential mailbox less of a target.

Tips for Lobby mailboxes:

Check with your intercom provider; has the 鈥渢rades code鈥� been removed? Set the timer to allow Canada Post a window of two hours either side of their regular delivery time.

Acquire free 鈥淣o Key No Entry鈥� signs from your Community Police Office or the Main RCMP Detachment, to remind residents not to let anyone walk in behind them.

Remind everyone in the building not to buzz someone in unless they are visiting their suites.

Tips for outside mailboxes:

Can the mailboxes be easily seen; are there shrubs or other plant materials blocking the natural surveillance of the boxes?

Trim or remove any landscape materials creating any concealment of the boxes.

Keep the area around the mailboxes neat; a well-kept space says that you care for your property.

General Tips:

Retrieve your mail as soon as possible after delivery - don鈥檛 leave mail unattended in your mailbox overnight.

If you鈥檙e planning a holiday, have someone retrieve your mail on a daily basis 鈥� or for a small fee, Canada Post will hold your mail at the delivery office and deliver it upon your return.

If you receive mail that is not yours, do not leave it in an unprotected area.

Write 鈥渄elivered to wrong address鈥� or 鈥渘ot at this address鈥� on the front of the envelope and deposit the letter into a Canada Post mailbox at your earliest convenience.

Check the physical security of your mailbox to ensure there are no gaps or damage; check with a lock specialist on the cost of increasing the security of your boxes.

If you see a crime in progress, call 91原创 RCMP at 911.

The non-emergency number, 604-532-3200 can be used to report a suspicious person, activity or a crime that has already occurred.

For more tips on keeping your community safer visit your local Community Police Office or the Main RCMP Detachment.