Auckland Resident Combats Mail Theft with Rat Traps: A Lawful Deterrent?

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An individual from Auckland who resorted to the unorthodox move of installing rat traps in his mailbox to combat the scourge of theft, maintains that a rise in local crime pressured him to act. He asserts that his actions were validated by an anonymous police staffer, who assured him that his innovative, albeit unusual, tactic was within the law.

The resident, hailing from the area of Onehunga, decided to remain unnamed, was driven to such unusual strategy following a spate of thefts threatening the mailboxes of his apartment complex. In response to the recurrent petty crimes, the body corporate had initially fortified the boxes with locks. Alas, the tenacious thieves remained undeterred, proceeding to pry off the locks with ease.


Upon issuance of an advisory from the body corporate to refrain from deploying locks, in an attempt to mitigate the damage to the mailboxes, the resident concocted his unique Plan B. During a phone call to the police on a disparate matter, he sought advice regarding the legality of his rat trap plan, receiving assurance from a dispatcher that entrapment was a lawful deterrent.

The resident expressed that these mailbox heists formed part of a more pervasive ripple of crime across the neighborhood, indicating an uptick in incidents such as car thefts and acts of vandalism.

Notably, he voiced his disappointment with the local law enforcement’s inaction, stating, “The police really aren’t doing their job”.

A mere few days following the installation of the trap, his scheme bore fruit. Upon discovering the trap empty, he stumbled upon it sprung open, discarded some 20 meters down the road. He expressed hope that his dynamic action had startled the thieves without causing harm, in an effort to deter further thefts.

While some of his neighbors appreciate his creatively aggressive defense, the body corporate adopted a less appreciative perspective, opting to eliminate the unconventional deterrent. A spokesperson for the entity confirmed the apartments’ ongoing struggle with crooks poaching mail. They also underscored residents’ need to be more proactive in securing their mail, advising tenants to clear mailboxes promptly, while applying a gamut of additional security measures.

Critically, an important question falls to Inspector Rachel Dolheguy, East Auckland area prevention manager for the police: the legality of installing a rat trap in a mailbox remains unaddressed. She acknowledged the citywide increase in reported incidences of theft since the Covid-19 lockdown has forced an increase in home deliveries. She encouraged vigilance, urging residents to report any suspicious activity and provided several strategies to avoid mail theft.