I'm a Postmaster and all we do is hand it over to the local authorites to deal with. Most times it's just kids playing mailbox baseball or people running over boxes. As far as the Post Office is concerned, your mailbox is your personal property and that's nothing but vandalism. Now, let them little suckers start stealing mail and it's a different game.

 

A few years back I had some kid come to my door and beat on it like he was trying to knock it in. I yanked the door open, got in his face, and told him if he ever came and beat on my door like that again the police or ambulance would be picking up what was left of him and it was his choice which one it was.

I never saw that kid again and I don't even know who he was. Along with that I have never had any other incidents around my property and I am pretty sure that the two German Shepards in the house don't hurt anything either.

 

Good parents can have good or bad kids, bad parents have worse kids in most instances. Kids make choices, some good, some not so good, some worse.

The door knocking stuff has been around for ages, usually it's a couple times, then over as they move on to someone else. It can be stopped if you call the parents, if that doesn't work, call the law. The earlier this stuff is nipped in the bud, the better the chances of the kids making better decisions and not becoming greater problems as they get older, better and wiser.

I lived out along a real desolate road years ago, the kids always bashed and vandalized mailboxes just before the end of the school year. I got tired of buying a mail box every year. I complained to the post office, they called the local police, filled out a report, that's simply all that can be done by them as they really are too busy to protect your mailbox. I took matters into my own hands, spent a few nights waiting but as usual they did come along and once again bash my mailbox. I was about 100 yards away, threw a couple boards on the road full of nice nails to slow them down. They ended up with a couple flats as a result. I picked up my boards, told them the next time it would be their heads that got the boards AND to make sure all their buddies knew what would happen, never had the problem again.

CD

 

Kids who play mailbox baseball are easy to deter. A few years ago, for a customer, I made a mailbox cover that was the same shape as, (and fit over), their mailbox. Used 3/8" steel plate. Welded large diameter nails, points up, to the outside of the cover, spaced about 2" apart horizontally and vertically. Looked kinda like a porcupine if you looked at it close, but from a distance you couldn't see the nails, just looked like a regular mailbox.

We found the remains of a baseball bat stuck to it one morning and the rest of the bat a few yards away in the road... with blood on it. They haven't had any problems since.

chaikwa.

 

But unless the bag had a stamp on it it was a viloation of Postal regulations . http://pe.usps.gov/archive/html/dmmarchive0810/d041.htm

 

hahahhahahhaahah thats awsome.

 

Yeah .... I do understand the importance of starting a paper trail on some of these little delinquents since they may end up BIG delinquents and require further legal action. I just worry about saddling a kid with a record when he/she may just be going through a phase of screwing up.

I remember a couple young people who fell into that catagory and ended up not being able to qualify to join the Navy because of their record. I do realize that this is the exception rather than the rule though.

I never saw the attraction to blasting mailboxes with a bat. Now if I had a supply of explosives on hand .... THAT would have my undivided attention !!

PISTOL

 

Good job Rick, standing up for your elderly neighbor is an honorable thing to do.

I was a trouble maker to when younger, just ring or knock then high tail it, I never failed to get caught followed by a nice butt whipping.

Picking on an elderly woman cause she is an easy target is just evil.

Tim

 

Not sure if you know who the parents are of the kids, But maybe try and get ahold of all the local kids parents and have a sit down with them.
Explain to them that kids will be kids, but the behaviour has gotten out of hand towards a old ladys house.
Let them know that the police have been informed on the situation, the next step will be a esculation on your part to help your neighbour and MAKE HER FEEL SAFE.

If it keeps going on or the parents get angry, then game on.

Next will be to catch the little buggers in the act and pay back is always fun.

Just use their own devices agaisnt them. Smear dog crap on their bikes, if they have cars put fish heads on the exhaust manifolds, plus one or two on the cat taped on there.
Loosen their bike wheels so when they hop on they fall off.
Jack their car up and remove one or all the wheels, leave it on blocks.
Leave dog crap in their parents mailbox.

Sounds childish but hey some times you have to bring the same issues to the person doing them to make them realize it is a problem and needs to be dealt with.

 

Around her, it is the same as when I was growing up. If you got caught, the person who caught you whipped you, and then you BEGGED them NOT to tell your parents, as that would result in the real whipping. BUT, we NEVER did whatever again.

 

Go down to your local hunting store and buy a motion camera then place it were you can get some good pictures . A stop at your local school should produce a name , or just supply your local sheriff with the evidence . Just having the flash go off in there face should provide enough deterrent to cure your problems in most cases .

 

Know we know why most animals eat their young.

 

I like the idea of getting the motion activated game camera. Also hide in the bushes waiting for the little dirtbags, and tag them with a paintball gun. Or, get a tape of a big angry dog barking. When they show up play the tape and scare the JA's. Keith

 

maybe I am just getting old, but motion lights have a great effect/affect.

victim certainly does not want to antagonize the critters anymore....but feel safe.

trim the bushes, install the lights, talk to your neighbors on each side of you.

no one needs to deal with bullies alone. no one.


not worth getting shot at either, by anyone. communicate and light up the night.

Heidi 'mcgruff' in very rural new york....

reading some other member posts- man, some of you guys scare me...

TRad, you and I just are getting too old to sneak around in the dark, with baseball bats. Let's just call TOP.......

 

No problems with this one Pistol, juvenile records sealed when they turn 18.

Heidi, the age isn't the primary reason for not laying in the bushes......... for some reason any bushes less than 3 feet tall leave my backside (and a few other sides) hanging out. I don't suffer from anorexia.