# Usps opsec fail



## redhorse (Dec 27, 2012)

I was reading one of Sentry's posts about an OPSEC fail. Here is one of my stories. Just wondering if anyone else has had a similiar experience and what they did about it. 

My mail box is part of a group of mailboxes all together. I work from home, and can see the boxes and also when the carrier drives by. I have a nosy neighbor that I have watched on SEVERAL occasions get his mail, then reach down from his vehicle and go through MY mail. I have confronted the neighbor regarding this, and let him know it was a federal crime to open someone else's mail box. No solution, he pretty much laughed and continued his mailbox snooping ways. I called the post office. They advised I get a P.O.Box, it was to difficult to prove. No thank you! So I took matters into my own hands. 

Did you know that snakes love the sun? (at least most northern US species are mostly dinural) They do. At night they are always snuggled up in warm little dens when the nights are cool. On my property I have a couple black truck bed liners and a few extra rubber liners laying out by the field. They hold heat quite nicely through the night and make perfect snurk motels. I pulled up a few of these and was able to collect about a dozen garter and rat snakes one night. I put them in a muck tub for the night. Keep in mind my neighbor is petrified of snakes. 

The next morning I waited patiently for the mail lady to go by. When she did, I went down and got my mail, knowing that the neighbor had left and wouldn't be around for a bit. I had brought along (it's a bit of a hike down there) my no legged friends, and placed them in MY mailbox. With the day warming up, they were feeling pretty frisky and were definitely trying to get out as I was closing the door. Now to sit back and wait for sweet revenge. 

About an hour later, the offending neighbor pulled up to the mailbox group, and proceeded with his routine. He got his mail, then went to snoop through mine. Hahahaha! He actually ended up pulling my box half way out of the rack, and screamed like a little girl. Really. It's like half a mile down to there, and I could hear him. 

Mission accomplished. No snurks were harmed during my need for revenge, and I haven't caught him going through my mail since. 

Has anyone else had similiar issues with USPS? What a pain. It sounds funny, but it is an OPSEC fail. They surely aren't willing to help in my area.


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

Nice, I love it when a plan comes together.


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## Toffee (Mar 13, 2012)

We don't have issues that I know about. Granted almost a full quarter of the boxes are family, so if our mail gets mixed up, we just toss it in the right box.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

That's funny 
Canada post did that here as well, they provided the boxes and locks, unfortunately several times they have turned into a one-stop shop for somebody looking for goodies and personal info. For the most part I like the P.O box but I can see how it would not work for others.

Uh oh camo2460 is on the jazz. Darn Netflix and their bad old t.v shows.


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## redhorse (Dec 27, 2012)

Toffee said:


> We don't have issues that I know about. Granted almost a full quarter of the boxes are family, so if our mail gets mixed up, we just toss it in the right box.


I'm all about that, but unfortunately no one in my area is related. He is just a snoop. If I got his mail I would for sure put it in his box, but not look at anything.


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## Toffee (Mar 13, 2012)

redhorse said:


> I'm all about that, but unfortunately no one in my area is related. He is just a snoop. If I got his mail I would for sure put it in his box, but not look at anything.


Yea, I would've straight up called the police and told them I thought he was trying to steal my tax refund or account numbers and to please come deal with him or threatened him. But I'm loving your solution. He got what he deserved for sure. Might be living nearby, but certainly not a "neighbor"


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Having the mailboxes grouped together is a good thing here. My neighbor and I are the ones who are home during the day and have a clear line of sight to the boxes. If anyone messes with the boxes it is guaranteed either my neighbor or myself saw who did it and have a plate number to give to the cops.

No issues with mail snoops here. But where we use to live my neighbor would come upstairs to checkout any packages I got. I had to have my mail delivered to my folks house just to make sure he didn't steal any of it!


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Wow redhorse, I'll say that has me beat. 

I had problems with people stealing gas cans so I sat a few cans in front of a live catch trap that I had caught a skunk in(skunk still in it) and made sure it was visible from the road. Sure enough a few days later I went out one morning and smelled spray and the gas cans were scattered all over the place.

I also filled several cans up water and put just enough gas in it to make it smell like gasoline, put them in a place visible from the road and forgot about them. I noticed about a week later that they were gone.

I love what you did, and like I said above it has my pranks beat by a mile.


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## millertimedoneright (May 13, 2013)

Much better solution than I could have come up with...I would have just snatched him up and beat him to a pulp


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

We put in a dVault Secure Mailbox when we moved here several years ago. What's great about it, besides being a secure mailbox, is most of our packages can go in the bottom drop box so USPS, FedEx, and UPS don't have to open the gate to come up to the house. The mail delivery folks are especially fond of it.

The only problem for some homeowners in Texas is any TxDot roads (FM, SH, etc) can only have the cheap break-away mailboxes. Those of us on the county roads don't have those restrictions. We just have to make sure we're in compliance with post office regs.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

You could have video taped him in your box to use as evidence when you prosecuted him & then did the snake thing. After the video tape, I'd put a sign in my yard with his picture, name & address identifying him as a potential mail thief with a link to the video evidence I posted on You Tube. But then I tend to go overboard when people violate my privacy or security.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

Your local Post Office must be lazy with a capital L. We have worked with the US Postal Inspector's office numerous times on such complaints. We have put packages in mailboxes with GPS locators, packages with hidden pinhole camera's inside, etc., etc. We even have video cameras that are attached to a box that you bury underground. The box supplies power and recording while the wired camera can sit on a fence post, in a pile a rocks or anywhere really. I believe it has a 1-10x optical zoom as well so you can get the picture just right when you are setting it up. At the very least one can cover the mail in powder which only shows up under blacklight illumination. That is a low cost and low tech solution that still provides evidence (both on his hands and on the mail via fingerprints).

Snooping is better than theft, but not by much. Your snake solution will hopefully deter him in the future. If not perhaps next you could try and exploding dye pack like the one's they use at banks. Then call your local law enforcement and have him explain why he is lime green if he wasn't snooping through your mail.

Of course the smart ass in my thinks you should leave it alone and start having people send you bizarre mail. Like a letter from the CIA that looks like a paycheck, a package from Revenge Inc. and a book entitled "How to kill and get away with it". Then just stare at him menacingly every time you see him.


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## GrinnanBarrett (Aug 31, 2012)

I have used P O Boxes for years now. It is the only way to assure that you get your mail without neighbors or just passerby types from getting your mail.


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## redhorse (Dec 27, 2012)

"Snooping is better than theft, but not by much. Your snake solution will hopefully deter him in the future. If not perhaps next you could try and exploding dye pack like the one's they use at banks. Then call your local law enforcement and have him explain why he is lime green if he wasn't snooping through your mail.

Of course the smart ass in my thinks you should leave it alone and start having people send you bizarre mail. Like a letter from the CIA that looks like a paycheck, a package from Revenge Inc. and a book entitled "How to kill and get away with it". Then just stare at him menacingly every time you see him.[/QUOTE]

I like your style Sentry! I might have to try a few of those suggestions when the snakes go to ground for the winter. And yes, out post office here is very lazy. They are most likely shutting down soon and our mail will come from a bigger office in a nearby town.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Sentry18 said:


> Of course the smart ass in my thinks you should leave it alone and start having people send you bizarre mail. Like a letter from the CIA that looks like a paycheck, a package from Revenge Inc.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

Back in my rookie days we had a ROD (Retired On Duty) officer who was essentially such a negative and bitchy person that he could suck the fun out of a circus. One day my partner found him digging through my inbox and reading notes and other documents sent to me. I decided it was time for some revenge. I made up fake letterhead from the Chief and sent myself a letter of commendation for an incident that both the ROD and I were at and we both resolved. In it I gave myself a $5,000 a year raise and went on and one about how I single handedly saved the day. Then I put in an envelope from a letter that the Chief actually sent me (about a training he approved my attending) and put it in my inbox. We waited for him to read the letter (in hiding) and watched his face turn 3 shades of angry red. He threw it back in my in-box and stomped into the Chief's office to complain. We ran over, swapped the fake letter with the real one and ran out the door. We found out later that he no only threw a sh_t fit in the Chief's office he threatened to file a complaint with the State over the matter. He drug the Chief over to my inbox, took out the letter and threw it at him. While the Chief was reading the letter about my training, the ROD asked the Chief if he was stupid, gullible or incompetent. I laughed for weeks. A few days later he was reassigned to provide escorts for the DOC and was eventually fired on an unrelated matter. He was the laziest cop I ever worked with.


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## Tweto (Nov 26, 2011)

I used to know a ROD. He was a state trooper that would put the brim of his trooper hat in between the window and the window frame of his patrol car and then roll the window up just enough to pinch it and that would hold his head up while he slept.


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## 101airborne (Jan 29, 2010)

We don't have our mailbox in a group, fortionatlly cause our carrier is either blind, stupid, or just doesn't care. At least tice a week Either us, our neighbor across the street or the one next door gets one of the others mail. For three months straight she left the neighbor next to us had her S.S. check left in our box. We complained and it got better for a month or so then started again.


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## Toffee (Mar 13, 2012)

We don't have too many issued with the mail itself around here, but I did get upset about one of the fill-ins. She brought a package by the house, but instead of walking the extra step to get on our porch, she stomped all over my strawberry bed next to them. God thing I'm laid back, because even with my relaxed personality I almost said some not-so-polite words to her. Luckily, she rarely has to fill in on our route and we really like our normal carrier. He even leaves packages for the neighbors at our house due to the steep incline to theirs. Of course, it helps that we're related.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

LincTex said:


>


There are companies that will flood your 'enemies' mailbox with junk mail from companies that are along the lines you posted. I mean months of it! Hundreds of pieces of mail...!

Just think how embarrassed that jerk would be if you knocked on his door to hand him a mis-sorted 'letter' from the county health department saying he might have herpes...


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## Tweto (Nov 26, 2011)

How about reversing this. Instead of sending this stuff to yourself send it to the guy that's snooping through your mail.

Where I used to work, I would sign up for all the junk mail I could and have it sent to who ever was irritating me. No one ever figured it out that it was me.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

*The possibilities are endless!*

Snakes! Snakes! I'll bet he will not open your mailbox again. I would have videoed him.

*Privacy*: I grew up in a home where people were narcissistic, and in order to keep me as their target, I had no privacy. Anything that I had was gone through: purse, letters, dressers, room. Can you understand how privacy is extremely important to me? I cannot stand snoopers and gossips. They go hand in hand.

I have recently had the neighbor across the alley set up a basketball hoop. When their ball ends up in my backyard, he uses his ladder to climb over my fence. I would really like some suggestions for how to deal with him and his nosiness. Like many preppers, I have so much stuff and I am sure he and the neighbor on the other side talk about me. Too much firewood?

Also, when I pull into my garage, he sometimes stands on his deck and looks in. I have always been careful about keeping things out of sight, but since I am not all social with everyone due to so many long work days, you know they are curious about me and my life.


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## redhorse (Dec 27, 2012)

weedygarden said:


> Snakes! Snakes! I'll bet he will not open your mailbox again. I would have videoed him.
> 
> *Privacy*: I grew up in a home where people were narcissistic, and in order to keep me as their target, I had no privacy. Anything that I had was gone through: purse, letters, dressers, room. Can you understand how privacy is extremely important to me? I cannot stand snoopers and gossips. They go hand in hand.
> 
> ...


I have plenty of snakes around here I could send to you  What about a dog? Or a grumpy rooster or tom turkey?

Loving the ideas on this thread. Definitely going to have to get some of those envelopes and ink packs.


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## redhorse (Dec 27, 2012)

Nosey neighbor is back at it. Grrrrrrr

Can anyone recommend a decent video camera that doesn't cost to much? Also, who would I contact regarding the issue besides my local post office? They are no help.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

redhorse said:


> Nosey neighbor is back at it. Grrrrrrr


You need bigger snakes!


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## redhorse (Dec 27, 2012)

LincTex said:


> You need bigger snakes!


It's getting cold here and I can't find anymore :gaah:


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## lovetogrow (Jan 25, 2011)

Hey redhorse - what about a rat trap? :2thumb:


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## Toffee (Mar 13, 2012)

redhorse said:


> Nosey neighbor is back at it. Grrrrrrr
> 
> Can anyone recommend a decent video camera that doesn't cost to much? Also, who would I contact regarding the issue besides my local post office? They are no help.


Honestly, I would call the police station and report him as a possible thief. How would you know if he is taking mail? I think if he hasn't gotten the idea by now, he needs to be dealt with through the legal system.


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## Oneshot (Oct 8, 2012)

Redhorse,
That is my kind of remedy when TPTB don't work!  Sounds like turn about in fair play to me!
Still at it eh?
Try finding a place and mounting a game camera. Catch him in the act on camera and report it to a postal inspector! Those guys can put an end to his snoopin' really fast! I say that due to having had a job that dealt with the post offices in most of Texas. Long story short... If a customer acted like an arse. I'd just mention those guys and most would comply. If they got really bad I'd drop a dime with a postal inspector. Next time I came around. They were exceptionally nice!...Just a thought.


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## 8thDayStranger (Jan 30, 2013)

You can get a locking mailbox that is USPS approved. It has a slot for mail to be inserted. They run around $100. If you search the net you can probably round up one for around $40-$50. Around here this neighbor would probably get a nice friendly punch in the mouth.


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## Ravensoracle (Oct 4, 2010)

We have group mailboxes where I am. Happened within the last few years because the postman was having trouble getting close to some homes because of terrain and dogs. Someone found that since the post office boxes had to be put together, it was the post offices responsibility to provide the locking boxes similar to PO boxes because the post office moved the box off of the recipients property.


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## oldasrocks (Jun 30, 2012)

Go to womeninprison.com Write one of them a letter from him. He will start getting multiple letters from inmates.


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## HamiltonFelix (Oct 11, 2011)

I must admit the idea of rigging the box with pepper spray or high voltage does appeal. But probably getting photo/video evidence and going to the Postal Inspector would get you into less trouble.


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## Ravensoracle (Oct 4, 2010)

Leave one piece of junk mail in so this is a federal offense for the neighbor.

Take a piece of sponge soaked in blue clothing dye. (You know the blue dye that if you aren't careful gets everywhere and takes days to scrub clean.) Let it drip most of the excess off and put in an envelope. Place it in your box after the postman comes by. Watch discreetly from a distance to ensure your neighbor gets covered in dye. Take pictures of dye everywhere on your neighbor. If he even puts a small amount of pressure on the sponge, his hands will be dyed for days. It should transfer to whatever he immediately touches like his clothes and car.

Call the cops and explain the situation. If they refuse to do anything, go to the state attorney general or higher up the postmaster chain.


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