According to the NSW Police, mailbox crimes such as identity theft and fraud costs Australia $2.2 billion annually. 

New designs for apartment mailboxes are in the works to protect residents from identity theft and fraud. 

The new design which is submitted to Standards Australia will extend the mailbox standard for mailbox location and lock requirements to cover apartment buildings. 

“There is currently no design standard for mailbox location and lock requirements for apartment buildings,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.  

Developers also fail to add details about the location and design of mailboxes in development applications, as the existing standard only applies to mailboxes for individual homes.   

More than three quarters of Sydney residents live in apartments. The new mailboxes will allow mailboxes to be installed in secure areas, with individual locks and keys. 

“We’re working with NSW Police and other agencies in the MailSafe campaign to advocate for new measures to protect Sydneysiders from identity fraud,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore added. 

NSW police warned the City of organised crime syndicates exploiting these flaws. They can access multiple mailboxes using a master key, steal personal mail and information committing identity fraud. 
The City also recommends all residents to clear their mail regularly and use padlocks to protect their information. 

For more information or to view the City’s submission, visit: cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/community/health-and-safety/community-safety/safe-city/mail-theft-and-fraud.