Anyone any pictures of Canadian Mailbox locks (new & old)?

[Engineer]

I've just read that some Canadian mailbox locks are having to be replaced and I wondered if anyone had any pictures of the new or old ones? Mailbox locks have always interested me as we don't have them in the UK - We have letterboxes in our doors, that the mail person pushes the mail through.

http://news.therecord.com/article/748875

[awol70]

No pictures, but i can tell you that the replacement is done, and they have been replaced by abloy .
(protec, i believe )
i will try and get a pic up later today

[skylar]

Here are the pictures I took on my Iphone.

I know they are not great

[misterj]

Wow, those are quite a bit different than US postal box keys.

I'd describe the key to my postal box as a Reverse Yale "Y1." as it looks identical, with the same warding over the pins, but the keyway goes in the opposite direction. It's a 6-pin, I think, but my key has an odd bitting (making it hard to tell)...something like 977779 if I had to guess based on a 9 depth system.

[MacGyver101]

Here are the pictures I took on my Iphone.

There's nothing to worry about in this case, but if you ever upgrade to a newer iPhone, just be aware that the 3GS and 4 embed the GPS location of where you were standing when you took the photos into the image headers. Your iPhone 3G does not, as it doesn't have a GPS:

Code: Select all

File Name                       : photo.jpg
Make                            : Apple
Camera Model Name               : iPhone 3G
Software                        : 3.1.2
Create Date                     : 2010:08:03 17:50:31


Just something to keep in mind for anyone posting pictures of their keys... we had an example a month ago where someone here did that, and inadvertently posted both a close-up of their key and their exact location.

Anyhow... sorry to briefly hijack the discussion: just wanted to mention it, as I think many people aren't aware of this "feature" in the newer smartphones.

[Evan]

Wow, those are quite a bit different than US postal box keys.

I'd describe the key to my postal box as a Reverse Yale "Y1." as it looks identical, with the same warding over the pins, but the keyway goes in the opposite direction. It's a 6-pin, I think, but my key has an odd bitting (making it hard to tell)...something like 977779 if I had to guess based on a 9 depth system.

Those do not look like they are actual restricted access "Post Office Boxes" where it is actually illegal for anyone other than the contracted renter of the postal box to access its contents, this is why you have to put the names of everyone who will receive mail or be allowed access to the box on the application form...

It looks more like a clustered mailbox delivery point like one would find at an apartment or condo building and in some cities along the streets for secured delivery of the mail to prevent theft or pilferage... The locks on the individual boxes are usually not maintained by the postal service, as they are only concerned with maintaining the master access lock and the enclosure itself...

~~ Evan

[MacGyver101]

Those do not look like they are actual restricted access "Post Office Boxes" where it is actually illegal for anyone other than the contracted renter of the postal box to access its contents, this is why you have to put the names of everyone who will receive mail or be allowed access to the box on the application form...

Really? It looks exactly like the door and lock on a Canada Post community mailbox to me?

In what way does it look different to a Canadian mailbox door or lock to you?

[Legion303]

Those do not look like they are actual restricted access "Post Office Boxes" where it is actually illegal for anyone other than the contracted renter of the postal box to access its contents

First I've heard of it. My experience has been that the PO does not care who comes into the branch and accesses the P.O. box, assuming they have a key and aren't just prying the box open.

It looks more like a clustered mailbox delivery point like one would find at an apartment or condo building and in some cities along the streets for secured delivery of the mail to prevent theft or pilferage... The locks on the individual boxes are usually not maintained by the postal service, as they are only concerned with maintaining the master access lock and the enclosure itself...

Yes, they do maintain the individual locks on cluster boxes as well as the master locks and all other aspects of postal property. Not sure where you're getting your info.

-steve

[Greedy]

heres what the Aussie ones look like

lock code on the back
http://i353.photobucket.com/albums/r392 ... 70_068.jpg



the front of a different box

[Greedy]

aaarrrggghhhh, I can't edit, this was meant to be the first pic

http://i353.photobucket.com/albums/r392 ... 70_068.jpg

[dallalama]

the aussie one is a seven pin lock , would like to have a go at picking one or even bumping ,but you never see these locks other than at the post office ,and i would not like to be be seen tampering with one of these at the local post shop

[Evan]

Those do not look like they are actual restricted access "Post Office Boxes" where it is actually illegal for anyone other than the contracted renter of the postal box to access its contents

First I've heard of it. My experience has been that the PO does not care who comes into the branch and accesses the P.O. box, assuming they have a key and aren't just prying the box open.

It looks more like a clustered mailbox delivery point like one would find at an apartment or condo building and in some cities along the streets for secured delivery of the mail to prevent theft or pilferage... The locks on the individual boxes are usually not maintained by the postal service, as they are only concerned with maintaining the master access lock and the enclosure itself...

Yes, they do maintain the individual locks on cluster boxes as well as the master locks and all other aspects of postal property. Not sure where you're getting your info.

-steve

Maybe in Canada, but not in the US guy...

Local postmaster will make you dance through hoops and prove you are either the property owner or an authorized employee or contractor before they will open up the master access lock and allow you to switch out a box lock on a cluster mailbox if you lose the keys or it breaks or gets glued and you don't want to use a destructive method...

The USPS does not repair or replace the individual compartment locks on such cluster mailboxes, the landlord/property owner has to supply compliant locks on all the compartments in order to have the arrow master access locks installed on the container before it is put into service... Therefore the only part of such mailboxes the postal service is obligated to maintain is that master access arrow lock...

In fact all the post office will do if a box lock is broken or can not be secured is to empty the affected box(es) of mail and leave a slip stating that no further mail will be delivered until the defects are repaired and the card will have instructions on where the mail recipient(s) can obtain their held mail at a post office service counter during normal business hours...

As for the PO Box issue, yes, they are restricted access... Only the people named on the box application form or later added as authorized agents may enter the restricted delivery PO box to obtain the mails contained therein... While they are not likely to catch you if you go into the post office to pick up a family members mail, try getting them to release a package or bundle of held mail for a box to you, even if you have the key if your name is not on file as someone authorized to access the contents of that box...

~~ Evan

[Legion303]

Maybe in Canada, but not in the US guy...

Full disclosure: I was a USPS employee.

You are correct for large properties where the property owners own the cluster boxes for that property. For postal property, as I said, the post office maintains its own locks.

Regarding picking up packages for a PO box, it's the same as picking up packages with a slip left at your door. You have to show ID and technically the ID has to have your address on it (in the case of a PO box, there is an authorized list of package recipients)...but it's not illegal for anyone ("other than the contracted renter" etc.) with the right key to access the contents of the box like you stated, unless they're actually stealing mail. EDIT: I've been informed that USPS policy has changed since I worked there.

-steve

[MacGyver101]

Maybe in Canada, but not in the US guy...

Well, that's sort of the point: this was a thread about Canadian mailbox locks... which is why I was a bit puzzled by the need for you to be so condescending (and, quite frankly, rude) to the guy who actually took the time to take and post a photo?

[awol70]

To the OP:
As I stated, Canada post has upgraded to Abloy.
(Western Canada at any rate)
perhaps the east has yet to follow suit.

here is a pic of the Abloys that are on all the mailboxes,drop boxes,and Apt.array boxes.
hope this helps.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267 ... 411233.jpg

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267 ... 411231.jpg