Patent ID: 8261965

Claim:
A locking mechanism for a non-locking pre-existing mailbox having a housing defining an interior cavity accessible through a mailbox opening and a plurality of pre-existing bores, the locking mechanism comprising: an access door configured to matingly engage the opening, wherein the access door is selectively rotatably movable about and between a closed position, in which the opening of the mailbox is covered, and an open position, in which the opening of the mailbox is not covered, and wherein the access door defines a mail slot extending from a front side of the access door to a rear side of the access door; a mail slot door configured to matingly engage the mail slot, wherein the mail slot door is selectively rotatably movable about and between a first position, in which the mail slot of the access door is covered, and a second position, in which the mail slot of the access door is not covered; a locking tumbler attached to the access door, the locking tumbler selectively movable about and between a locked position and an unlocked position; a latch attached to the locking tumbler; a lock catch attachable to an inner surface of the housing of the mailbox, wherein movement of the locking tumbler from the unlocked position to the locked position moves the latch to engage the lock catch; and a theft deterrent device coupled to the access door, wherein the theft deterrent device comprises a plurality of teeth extending outwardly away from the rear side of the access door a predetermined distance.