Mail Box Destruction

[alltoys]

Can someone tell me what the fascination is about destroying someones mail box?

Saturday morning I went out to front of my property to clean up around the entrance. On the way out I could see my mail box was not looking to good. I got closer then noticed it had been flattened by vandals. At least hit once from the side then smashed from the top, hit at least twice.

Being a welder by trade I had some 1/4 inch plate laying around so I made up a new box and welded it to the now metal pipe I cemented in the ground. I would dearly love to see their faces when they take a mighty swing at this new mail box!!!!

 

[Duffster]

Is the new one post master approved?

 

[whistlepig]

I had this problem a few years ago. A metal T-post next to the mailbox fixed it. They are to lazy to get out of the car.

 

[Willl]

Mine got a M80 tossed in it.

 

[mjncad]

Can someone tell me what the fascination is about destroying someones mail box?

Simple things for simple minds explains the inDUHviduals fascination at beating up defenseless mailboxes.

 

[bcp]

I believe the box must be approved only if you are selling it as a mail box. There are lots of web sites on building mail boxes.
build mail box - Google Search


Some areas have regulations on mail box construction so the box is not a hazard if a car hits it.
Mailbox Installation - Washtenaw County Road Commission

Bruce

 

[Gary Fowler]

You should notify the postmaster about any vandalizm of mail boxes. Even though you have to buy it, it is considered the property of the US Government and as such vandalizm is a federal crime. Back when I was a kid some one cherry bombed my Dads mailbox. The US postal inspectors came out took photos, fingerprinted the box the whole works. They took the destruction of US Mail deadly serious. I think they said if they caught the guy he would spend up to 10years in the slammer plus a healthy fine.
I like the idea of the 1/4" plate but to be really effective, it should look like a normal mail box.
I had a neighbor tell me once that some kept running over is garbage cans and smashing them. He went out one afternoon dug himself a big old deep and wide hole, cemented in a 6" pipe and stuck an old rusted out garbage can over it. He found the culprits vehicle the next day wrapped around the post. Kind of drastic, but it broke the kid of the habit and broke his vehicle also.

 

[jdmar]

Had the same problem (and another posting somewhere here about it.) I did find out a few things so far.

I painted a heavyduty metal one with the American flag. Only one minor hit so far (and I think it was the snow plow or garbage guys by accident. Seems even vandal idiots don't really want to destroy the flag. Also it is a serious offense to destroy the box--it is considered federal property becasue of its contents.

The biggest risk to you is injury to the vandals...go figure! Your box can be heavy duty but should be able to break away if hit with a car. In other words, make your steel box, but put it on a swinging or breakable support---pivoting post, wood post etc.

I 100% agree with your frustration. But I don't want the innocent person (you!) successfully sued for trying to stop the criminal. Remember that we live in this wonderful country call the US of A (and on that I am serious). But here the criminals have more rights than the hard working honest guys. I won't get political here no matter how hard I have to bite my tongue!
Best of luck my friend,
Peter

 

[Egon]

I have seen plans for a portable mail box that if hit by a car would probably require a tow truck to move the car.

 

[rimshot]

You should notify the postmaster about any vandalizm of mail boxes. Even though you have to buy it, it is considered the property of the US Government and as such vandalizm is a federal crime. Back when I was a kid some one cherry bombed my Dads mailbox. The US postal inspectors came out took photos, fingerprinted the box the whole works. They took the destruction of US Mail deadly serious. I think they said if they caught the guy he would spend up to 10years in the slammer plus a healthy fine.
I like the idea of the 1/4" plate but to be really effective, it should look like a normal mail box.
I had a neighbor tell me once that some kept running over is garbage cans and smashing them. He went out one afternoon dug himself a big old deep and wide hole, cemented in a 6" pipe and stuck an old rusted out garbage can over it. He found the culprits vehicle the next day wrapped around the post. Kind of drastic, but it broke the kid of the habit and broke his vehicle also.

===================

"Even though you have to buy it, it is considered the property of the US Government and as such vandalizm is a federal crime. " (Gary)
===================

Not if you live in Canada like I the original poster does

rimshot (big grin)

 

[dave1949]

I'm on my 4th mailbox in 3 yrs.

Snowplow - 1
Vandals - 1
Pickup skids off road - 1 (truck demolished after bouncing off three maple trees).

I keep a spare on hand.

 

[ToadHill]

A neighbor mounted his box on 2 old coil springs welded together to form the post. Big heavy box and if the kids wack it, it just bends a bit and pops back.

 

[BHD]

we have some friends who's son was blowing up mail boxes and the kid spent a good number of years in federal prison for the deed, they take it very serious, (wife thinks it was 8 years),

one Idea I heard about was to take a large box and put a small box in side it and cement in between the two,

around here the county will make you remove the post if it is "hazardous" so they will not injure or kill some if an accident happens, (no RR ties or 8" posts or steel posts filled with cement,

I finally ended up filling in an edge of the road and moving it back from the edge of the gravel road about 6 to 8 foot, safer for the mail car, and it has not been knocked down yet,

my situations I think were accidental, wide farm equipment,
A semi that missed the turn and took the mail box out and the water hydrant, down behind it, at night,

some guy not paying attention and drove right into it and into the ditch and up over the cross road, (kids aw it happen and said it was quite a ride)

come to think of it I think the county mower guy is nearly as hard on it as any one, LOL,

 

[LBrown59]

===================

"Even though you have to buy it, it is considered the property of the US Government and as such vandalizm is a federal crime. " (Gary)
===================

*Not if you live in Canada like I the original poster does

rimshot

I wouldn't expect that a mail box located in the US would be consider Canadian property.
Or is that a mail box located in Canada isn't considered
as US property?L O L

 

[MarkV]

Same problem here. Mine gets hit by the county mowing crew, kids with bats and blown up by Drano bombs. I was warned by the post office not to build an indestructible one. It seems you can be liable if a vandal gets hurt. Go figure.

MarkV

 

[foggy1111]

True Confession. When I was about 19 years old.....late one Sat night.....with a girl friend and another couple in the back seat (yes, I was driving too fast and showing off).....I took a curve too fast in my 64 Chevelle SS.....and the rear end came around on loose gravel. (Yes....the car was immaculate, black, 2 door, SS, 4 speed, with 327 reworked engine...yadda yadda.)

Anyway....when I spun out......I hit a milk can which was filled with cement and had a steel post in the center to both hold the mail box and which penetrated through the bottom of the box into more buried concrete....supposedly for more "support." The Chevy hit it in the passenger side door at "fairly high speed"....bending the chevelle into a pretzel and totaling the car. Nobody else was hurt (I still don't know how) and I got showered with glass (little cuts everywhere)......turning a white shirt red.

I got a fine, lost my car.....and paid for the mail box replacement. Lesson learned. HOWEVER.....I would have rather hit a "normal" mail box post.

I know lots of people have problems with mail boxes (my mother in law has lots of similar problems as above).....but please don't make one of the type I hit...it may kill someone. I was lucky.

 

[Ken Cunningham]

8 years for tearing up a mailbox, thats just crazy when you consider the jail time some people get for what i think are "real crimes". As a mail box owner that wouldnt be happy to have his torn up, i would still have to say the if some kid ( and we have all done things as kids that we regret now ) was to bash it in, i wouldnt want him to get 8 years. I would think that some community service where that kid "might" learn some work ethic or values would be better than ruining his life over a mailbox.

 

[Eagle Dude]

one Idea I heard about was to take a large box and put a small box in side it and cement in between the two,

around here the county will make you remove the post if it is "hazardous" so they will not injure or kill some if an accident happens, (no RR ties or 8" posts or steel posts filled with cement,

We used a large rural mail box and built a frame, that fit inside, of steel pipe. Inside that we have a normal size mail box. The box is mounted to a platform thats welded to the flywheel end of a six cylinder crankshaft. A short pipe is welded to the snout of the crankshaft with rebar crossing through the pipe in several places. This pipe is inserted into a five gallon bucket and filled with cement. The bucket in turn is buried into the ground.

When smacked with a ball bat I image it leaves quite a ringing sting. I have had to reset the bucket back in the ground a couple of times but I think it has weathered better than the vandals.

 

[alltoys]

I guess my saving grace is I live in Canada and our industrious Mail system is not as regulated as in the US. So as long as the mail box will come lose as if in a crash with an automobile all is okay. I have it mounted to a thin wall piece of pipe pressed into the ground, it will collapse when hit with sufficient force. Only of course a hit with a baseball bat will not move as it would have moved when they smashed the wimpy one flat.

I would still like to be looking through the trees when those dingleberrys come racing through as one of them takes a mighty swing.

 

[radioman]

It's a good thing my father doesnt see this thread. I remember growing up , the mailbox would have to be replaced every other year. The mailbox would be across the street on a forked corner. Too many people go to fast trying to make the turn and it gets plowed over, or snow plow truck would clip it when going around the fork. After many years of being fed up, he moved the mailbox 20 feet down the road and all problems went away . GO figure. I agree with other posters not to make post too tough in order to save property and lives. I seen it first hand many times over.