Letterbox Fishing: How to Reduce the Risk Without Blocking the Door
Letterbox fishing is a method of reaching through a letterplate with a hook, stick or similar object to steal keys or manipulate something inside the door. The risk increases when house or car keys, bags and other valuables are stored within reach of the front door.
Reducing the risk does not necessarily mean sealing or removing the letterbox. Better key placement, an appropriate internal guard and a review of what can be reached from the opening can improve security while allowing the door and letterbox to continue functioning normally.
What Is Letterbox Fishing?
Letterbox fishing usually involves inserting an object through the letterplate and using it to reach something inside the property. Police security advice specifically warns that car and house keys can be fished through the opening when they are left near the front door.
The target is not always the key itself. Depending on the door layout, an intruder may also try to reach bags, wallets or internal door hardware that sits close to the opening.
The first security check should therefore be simple: stand inside the property and consider what an object inserted through the letterbox could potentially reach.
Keep House and Car Keys Away From the Door
Moving keys is one of the simplest improvements because it removes the item an offender may be trying to reach. ProtectUK's home security guidance, written by police security advisers, recommends keeping keys out of sight and away from doors and windows.
Avoid leaving keys:
- on a console table directly beside the entrance;
- hanging from hooks near the letterbox;
- inside handbags placed by the front door;
- on a shelf that can be reached with a long object;
- in the internal side of a lock when that creates unnecessary reachability.
Keys should still be kept somewhere occupants can find quickly when they need to leave the property. Security should not create confusion during an emergency.
Can a Letterbox Guard Help?
An internal letterbox guard or cowl creates a physical barrier behind the opening. Its purpose is to allow normal mail delivery while making it more difficult to reach directly into the property.
Police guidance from ProtectUK recommends an internal letterbox cowl to stop keys being fished through the opening. The exact product still needs to suit the door, letterplate and surrounding hardware rather than being attached in a way that interferes with the lock or normal door movement.
A guard is most useful when it prevents a straight reach towards nearby keys, handles or other accessible items. It should be treated as one part of the door-security arrangement rather than a substitute for good key storage.
Check Whether the Handle or Thumbturn Can Be Reached
Keys are not the only consideration. On some doors, an internal handle or thumbturn may sit close enough to the letterbox for the relationship between the two to deserve inspection.
Do not immediately replace a thumbturn with a double-key cylinder just because it appears reachable. Internal keyless operation may be important for emergency escape, and the correct locking arrangement depends on the type of door and how the property is occupied.
A better first step is to assess whether an appropriate guard, deflector or other compatible security arrangement can restrict reach without compromising safe operation. Where the lock and the hardware around it need reviewing together, our high security locks service covers it.
Do Not Block the Letterbox With Improvised Materials
Stuffing the letterbox with objects or permanently obstructing the flap is not a good long-term security strategy. It can interfere with mail delivery and may create other practical problems without addressing the underlying reach risk.
The objective is to control what can be accessed through the opening. A correctly chosen guard or secure letterplate is preferable to improvised barriers that were not designed as door-security hardware.
If the letterplate itself is damaged, loose or easy to remove from outside, it should also be assessed. The opening and surrounding door panel should remain secure after any upgrade.
Could an External Letterbox Be Safer?
For some properties, moving mail delivery away from the door aperture can remove the letterplate reach route entirely. The Secured by Design Homes guide strongly recommends mail delivery through a secure external letter box or through the wall where possible, and names fishing for keys as one of the risks of a door letterplate.
That is a more substantial change than fitting an internal guard and will not be necessary for every home. If an external box is considered, use a suitable security-rated product installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
The location also needs to work for ordinary mail delivery and the people using the property. A security measure that creates an impractical daily routine is less likely to be used correctly.
What About Car-Key Theft?
Letterbox fishing is particularly relevant where car keys are kept in the hallway. Police guidance warns that car keys left near the door can be fished out through the letterbox.
Move ordinary and keyless vehicle keys away from the front door. Keyless vehicles also have a separate relay-theft risk, which ProtectUK suggests reducing by keeping fobs in a signal-blocking pouch, so moving the key away from the door is useful but should not be confused with the complete response to wireless key theft.
For letterbox fishing specifically, physical distance matters. A key that cannot be reached with an object through the opening is a less accessible target.
Check the Complete Door, Not Just the Letterbox
Improving the letterbox while leaving a weak cylinder, damaged frame or poorly secured door untouched can give a false sense of security. The lock, handles, frame, hinges and letterplate work together as part of the same entrance.
On applicable uPVC and composite doors, the cylinder should be correctly sized and should not project excessively beyond the protective furniture. Timber doors also need suitable locks, keeps and a sound frame.
Our high security locks service covers lock upgrades where the whole door needs assessing. If a door has already been attacked or damaged, use our emergency burglary repair service instead.
Letterbox Security Checklist
| Check | What to Look For |
|---|---|
| Key position | House and car keys are out of reach from the opening |
| Bags and valuables | Nothing valuable is stored immediately inside the door |
| Internal guard | Suitable guard or cowl restricts direct reach |
| Letterplate | Securely fitted and not easily removable externally |
| Handle position | Internal hardware cannot be easily manipulated through the opening |
| Thumbturn | Reach risk assessed without compromising safe escape |
| Cylinder | Correctly sized and appropriately protected |
| Door and frame | No damage or weakness around the locking points |
| Car keys | Stored away from the entrance |
| Emergency use | Occupants can still unlock and leave safely |
The aim is not to add every possible security product. It is to remove the practical weaknesses that apply to the actual door.
What If Someone Has Already Tried Fishing Through the Letterbox?
If there are signs that somebody has tried to reach through the letterbox, check whether anything is missing and whether the lock, handle or letterplate has been damaged. Preserve relevant CCTV or doorbell footage and report the crime to the police: 999 if it is happening now, otherwise 101 or online.
If the door hardware has been attacked, do not assume it is secure simply because it still locks. Kingdom’s How to Secure Your Door After a Break-In guide explains how to document damage and assess the affected entry point.
Keys that have been stolen should be treated as a separate key-control problem. If a stolen house key still operates the property, the affected lock or cylinder should be assessed so the missing key no longer provides access.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is letterbox fishing?
Letterbox fishing is an attempt to use a hook, stick or similar object through a door letterplate to reach keys, bags, valuables or accessible door hardware inside the property. Police guidance specifically warns about car and house keys being taken this way, which is why keeping them away from exterior doors is an important first step.
Where should I keep my keys to prevent letterbox fishing?
Keep house and car keys far enough from the front door that they cannot reasonably be reached through the letterbox with a long object, and avoid leaving them visible on nearby tables or hooks. They should still be stored somewhere known and accessible to occupants so the household can leave quickly when necessary.
Does a letterbox guard stop letterbox fishing?
A suitable internal guard or cowl can reduce the ability to reach directly through the opening and is recommended in police security guidance. Its effectiveness still depends on correct installation, the door layout and whether keys or vulnerable hardware remain reachable from another angle.
Should I remove the thumbturn from my front door if it is near the letterbox?
Not automatically, because thumbturns can provide important keyless escape from inside and changing the locking arrangement can affect how safely the door is used. The reach risk should be assessed first, with a suitable guard or compatible protective solution considered before replacing internal escape hardware solely because of the letterbox position.
Should I replace the whole letterbox with an external mailbox?
An external security mailbox can remove the need for a letterplate opening through the door and may be useful where fishing risk is particularly difficult to control. It is not necessary for every property, however, and a correctly installed internal guard combined with sensible key placement may provide a simpler solution on many existing doors.
Final Thoughts
Letterbox fishing prevention starts with controlling what can be reached from the opening. Move keys and valuables away from the entrance, then check whether an appropriate internal guard can restrict access to the handle, thumbturn or hallway without blocking normal mail delivery.
Do not improve one feature while ignoring the rest of the entrance. The cylinder, handles, frame, keeps and door construction should still provide suitable physical security, and occupants must remain able to leave the property safely.
For a wider check of your door and locks, Kingdom Locksmith can help through our high security locks service. If the door has already been damaged in an attempted break-in, use our emergency burglary repair service instead.
