this post was submitted on 29 Jul 2010
85 points (87% like it)
99 up votes 14 down votes

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edbgon 108 points109 points 1 month ago[-]

There was a picture on here once that showed a smaller mailbox encased in about 2-3" of concrete inside a larger mailbox. The smaller one had the door removed so that just opening the larger mailbox was sufficient to put mail inside. Couple this with a metal post and it would give them quite the surprise when they come to bash it in.

kousi 51 points52 points 1 month ago[-]

micromoog 8 points9 points 1 month ago[-]

I love how the little mailbox is a previous bashing victim

ropers 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

It's not. The deformation happens when the concrete sets.

krugerlive 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

Apparently it's guarded by spiders too

IAmA_10_AMA 25 points26 points 1 month ago[-]

I had a friend who did this at his house. Worked wonderfully.

munificent 38 points39 points 1 month ago[-]

Hearing "<clunk!> Aah, fuck my arm!" periodically at night would be the icing on the cake.

theseitz 5 points6 points 1 month ago[-]

I came here to suggest this.

LongHyzer 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

My grandfather did this in rural Maine. He went through or 4 mailboxes in a year. The concrete one never got taken out.

play3393 5 points6 points 1 month ago[-]

People are thinking WAY too hard about this.

Just put two solid steel poles up on either side of your box as high as the box. They can't get a bat between there, but the postman can still deliver mail, so you're all set.

Here's a TERRIBLE picture:

http://i.imgur.com/Ugrxj.png

AgentMull 12 points13 points 1 month ago[-]

See, all that would do is make them target your box. It would just piss them off and they would come back slow down and really take it out.

Oryx 7 points8 points 1 month ago[-]

You seem to be missing the point: injuring the arm of the asshole vandal when they try it again by using concrete.

play3393 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

I'm not interested in injuring people. I'd enjoy catching them red handed much more or preventing them if possible.

The point was how to keep his mailbox from being bashed.

Ban10 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

and how much would that cost? I feel like concrete is a lot easier to obtain than steel!

play3393 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

You might want to think again. As an engineer, I can assure you that concrete is much harder to obtain than a couple of pieces of tube steel (and it's WAY WAY WAY cheaper).

You can get 12 feet of .080 tube steel for $20 at Queen City Steel where I live.

rmrilke 3 points4 points 1 month ago[-]

Careful. If you know that kids are hitting it and you are aware that the measures you take would result in an injury you might be liable. I don't know the applicable law off hand, (Possibly Relevant?) but don't think you can get away with anything in the name of defending your property.

loggedout 15 points16 points 1 month ago[-]

If they can drive, they can "appreciate the risk."

Why are criminals protected from those trying to protect themselves from said criminals.

rmrilke 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

I can't say I don't agree with you, but the common law idea behind it is that we value human beings more than property so it isn't ok to put people in danger to protect your property. I think the problem in this case is that teenagers couldn't appreciate the risk because you're hiding the concrete and knowingly setting a trap for them to get hurt. I'd love to hear that one of those little assholes broke his arm, but I'd feel worse if a redditor got fucked by the long dick of the law because of advice we gave him.

killingthedream 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

If they can drive, they can "appreciate the risk."

Driver's not doing it; the minor in the passenger seat is.

ctr1a1td3l 3 points4 points 1 month ago[-]

What if he put a sign that said "danger. Do not hit"?

Should take care of any liability.

hadees 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

exactly, spray paint that on the mailbox. It probably mean they would try to hit it and get quite a surprise.

zaqu12 5 points6 points 1 month ago[-]

nice try kid bashing the mailboxes

selfmute 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

  1. a concrete mailbox is not a trap, and 2. it is not using deadly force

myhandleonreddit 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

Even after 8 hours people are still suggesting this, "I can't remember where I read it but try encasing it in concrete!". I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone.

turchenko 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

there was a CSI episode about this, once...

squidboots 58 points59 points 1 month ago[-]

You can always do it the redneck way and put a standard-sized mailbox inside of a slightly larger mailbox and pour concrete between the two.

Bonus points if you mount it on fixed metal pipe frame (which you also fill with concrete) and mount in the ground with a lot of concrete.

I guarantee that if you do this, you will know who did it by the screams of agony as a baseball bat is shattered some stupid kid's arm is broken. I would recommend putting some kind of disclaimer warning on the side of the mailbox for the over-litigious.

babada 55 points56 points 1 month ago[-]

I like the idea of a disclaimer:

Do not hit this mailbox at high speeds. The owner is not responsible for any injuries that occur as a result of attacking the mailbox. Bitches.

squidboots 6 points7 points 1 month ago[-]

Haha, I approve.

Really, I hate that a disclaimer should be necessary. After all, you have the right to defend your property from being damaged, and the intent of pouring concrete in the mailbox is more to keep it from being damaged than to outright harm a person (who is performing an illegal activity). It's not really a booby trap.

But yeah...people are WAY too litigious in the US and he probably would get sued without some kind of a disclaimer.

Ziggamorph 15 points16 points 1 month ago[-]

You don't actually need to put a disclaimer on. No one who struck your mailbox with a bat would have a legal leg to stand on.

jkahrs595 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

Ziggamorph 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

That's different. In his case the person he is suing did something actively to him (although it may well have been justified).

ctr1a1td3l 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

Funny. I always thought shooting someone as he flees is illegal since he no longer poses a threat to your life or property.

manuelacon 6 points7 points 1 month ago[-]

If you are going to put any steel poles in the ground be sure to paint them a nice shade of brown.

directrix1 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

Hey... didn't you get an Old Spice reply?

squidboots -1 points0 points 1 month ago[-]

Yup.

javadpup 85 points86 points 1 month ago[-]

Put a strong metal pole in front of the mailbox on the side of the mailbox they would come from, and try to set it in concrete or something else strong. I used to have the same problem, and that seemed to fix it, if they're dumb enough to try to hit it, it'll knock the bat out of their hands and give them some nice bruises.

Edit: Sorry, I missed that you wanted to catch them, but making them stop can be just as good

diggalator 48 points49 points 1 month ago[-]

Make one of these - http://i.imgur.com/5Oyp1.jpg

Mythrilfan 5 points6 points 1 month ago[-]

Probably won't work. They'll have cleared the mailbox by the time the rock swings back.

ropers 31 points32 points 1 month ago[-]

P-Dub 7 points8 points 1 month ago[-]

I imagine building this and then eagerly awaiting someone to hit it.

Mythrilfan 4 points5 points 1 month ago[-]

Eeeeexcellent.

ropers 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

I have no idea if that'll work, but I like your thinking. :)

dishie 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

Oh man. Film that shit. If the diagram itself can make me "LOL," I can only imagine my reaction to actual footage.

itstemo1 18 points19 points 1 month ago[-]

You can still catch them... JUST REINFORCE THE POLE so instead of a bruises they get a broken bone...

Go to the local hospital and ask if anyone has come in with a broken arm

reasonablegentleman 66 points67 points 1 month ago[-]

If you live in America don't be surprised if they try to sue you, and don't be shocked if they win.

AnnArchist 4 points5 points 1 month ago[-]

small towns dont all work like that, if they are locals, they wouldn't want to tarnish their family's name like that.

Daesleepr0 8 points9 points 1 month ago[-]

I don't know why you got downvoted for that, as it is a very legitimate statement. America is probably the only place where you can get robbed, then sued by the robber and lose to him.

catinahat1 8 points9 points 1 month ago[-]

Oh trust me, this can, and has happened in the UK too...

iwillthrowitaway 4 points5 points 1 month ago[-]

well, can you find a case that actually won in court?

snopes debunks all the "cases" i've heard of

Daesleepr0 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

Upon my research I did find that most of the ones when a robber tripped and hurt himself and wins never have any concrete info. I did however find some real ones where the criminal unjustly won after people defended themselves, and even against the state they have won.

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/mntn03.shtml

http://overlawyered.com/early-years/february-2003-archives-part-3/#0226a

iwillthrowitaway 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

thanks! ok so maybe it's not as probable as people make it out to be, but it can happen. the second one makes me wonder if i should cut out my daydreams of boobytrapping the shit out of my house...

tehbored 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

Not unless those kids who are doing at very rich, since I don't think any court would hear that case under normal standards.

Iwillnotgiveafuck 4 points5 points 1 month ago[-]

I doubt the kids would tell their parents what they were actually doing.

squigs 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

What would be their grounds for suing? I mean assuming you don't intend it to do harm but simply to withstand an impact. Plus, surely you could counter-sue them for or threaten to call the police.

Korbit 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

Except its a federal crime to mess with mailboxes, so them trying to sue you wold get them sent to jail by admitting the crime.

itstemo1 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

Just tell the police that you need to Reinforce the mailbox not because it was getting bash... but because it made the front of the house look ... "PRETTY"

b00ks 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

I have to agree with this sentiment. When I lived in Texas, every mailbox was part of an ornate extension of the house. Mailboxes were brick mausoleums with a place to put mail in the middle.

BitterHerb 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

Depending on the state, you could get sued -- believe it or not -- by the offending party. A stout wooden post works just as well, without the liability issue I mentioned. Just place it close enough to discourage bashing but not so close to block the mail carrier's vehicle. I went the other route a few years ago. I built my own mailbox of steel and reinforced concrete. It has withstood many baseball bats, cherry bombs, Molotov cocktails, and on one occasion a pile of flaming dog crap. I was considering adding a remotely controlled flame thrower option to discourage thieves, but relented because I happen to like my mail carrier.

2ply 5 points6 points 1 month ago[-]

sure, you could get sued, in any state. however, you would win in every state. there's no cause of action for building a strong mailbox that hurts someone's arm when they try to destroy it from a moving vehicle.

LakeRat [S] 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

Believe it or not, I started out with a 4x4 wooden post cemented into the ground. They broke the post in half. I think they gut frustrated when the bat didn't take it down and then doubled back and hit it with their truck.

I'm kind of stuck since they'll obviously take out a stout wooden post but I don't want to put up an immovable metal one due to the liability reasons you mentioned.

2ply 7 points8 points 1 month ago[-]

no such liability reasons exist. use a metal pole, that's the only good solution.

i cut a mailbox down with a chainsaw when i was younger.

krzymins 5 points6 points 1 month ago[-]

Put a thick metal pole in the center. Nail wood around it.

civildefense 3 points4 points 1 month ago[-]

you actually just slowly roll back till the bumper hits the post then you apply gas and it snaps right off.. um.. I think or something.

matt45 9 points10 points 1 month ago[-]

Better is to put your mailbox on a spring so that, when hit, it just bends with the blow, then pops back into place undamaged. Like the sidemirrors on newer cars.

Main benefit is that you don't turn your mailbox into a driving hazard capable of killing you when you slide off the road turning into your driveway some snowy night.

MEatRHIT 4 points5 points 1 month ago[-]

I mentioned this below but I actually have that mailbox, I'll see if I can remember to take a picture when I get home.

lolinyerface 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

It's been one day. REMEMBER!!!

MEatRHIT 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

Shit... I actually thought about it last night on my way home... got into workout mode and well didn't take the picture. We'll see about it tonight

MEatRHIT 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

Sophismistic -2 points-1 points 1 month ago[-]

if you're driving SO FAST that sliding into your mailbox turning into it on the snow (when you're coming home) kills you then you probably deserve to die anyway.

I like your spring idea.

dbag127 3 points4 points 1 month ago[-]

You've apparently never driven in the snow. You can slide pretty damn far going 10 mph

bw1870 6 points7 points 1 month ago[-]

To your untimely death, no less.

auldnic 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

In slo mo.

movzx 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

Far is not the same as fast.

Would you die if you suddenly fell down while running? Probably not.. Now imagine that, but with air bags, seatbelts, and a protective metal cage.

dbag127 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

It's all about momentum. I wish I had pictures of my mom's minivan from when we went off the road doing 20 in the snow. Nailed a utility pole, set off the airbags, and wrecked the front end.

movzx 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

And yet you lived despite going twice the speed and hitting a much larger object, funnily enough.

A 10m/h crash with your car into a reinforced mailbox pole is not going to kill you.

redikulous 66 points67 points 1 month ago[-]

Leave the current bash-able mailbox in place and every night put a gallon bag full of brightly colored paint, so when they smash it the paint goes all over them and their car. Then maybe you can find those assholes :/

ReddEdIt 25 points26 points 1 month ago[-]

Sounds like a chore. What if you combine this concept + javadpup's immovable object design + reactive armor - have a weak body built over a superstrong interior box, with your paint packs in between.

I'd also add some sparkles to the paint as a low-tech taggant, just in case the culprits claim to have been coincidentally (and haphazardly) painting their baseball bat earlier that day.

brodyqat 29 points30 points 1 month ago[-]

fuck yeah, glitter + paint bomb! Maybe add a feather packet too, so they end up looking like refugees from the craft store explosion.

BitterHerb 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

Add flakes of glass to the glitter and you may have something there...

jrblast 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

I was thinking nitroglycerine, but that should work too.

The_Murderer 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

Storing enough pure nitroglycerin to have a significant explosion after the idiots hit it would be like making friends with a psychopath so that way the next time some asshole tries to mug you your psychopath friend will instead cut off and eat his face. But psychopath friends don't need a trigger to go off, they are fucking psycho. They go off for the fun of it. More likely, your friend will randomly cut off and eat your own face because you happened to be nearby. Sorry.

jrblast 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

Well, yeah, if you're dumb enough to hang out with your friend, but who (on this site) does that?!

The_Murderer 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

I was making an analogy, because I love anal, and I assure you there are folks on this site who play with NG. Therefore, if you are still within the confines of my metaphor your comment must be sarcastic. Lots of sciency types like making it just to watch the poof as people walk across the tiny amounts of it.

However, if we've entered the realm of the literal, I assure you there is at least one redditor with a psychopathic friend who likes to eat people's faces. True, no one can see me but him. I like to collect fingernails. I want him to stop sometimes, but not always...

Apocrathia 6 points7 points 1 month ago[-]

This actually sounds like the best method for catching them. Great idea!

wrongnumber 5 points6 points 1 month ago[-]

Permanent dye packs like banks use

robotsongs 4 points5 points 1 month ago[-]

As a former hooligan, I can tell you that this action would then invite explosives to be involved.

yesiamanostrich -1 points0 points 1 month ago[-]

Reminds of what my guy friends would do stone mailboxes. Less destructive, but way grosser. They called it a "Soccer Mom Surprise." Basically, they would drive around in this dudes mini van with a Solo cup full of 'man juices' which would then get left in victims mailboxes.

turchenko 7 points8 points 1 month ago[-]

nothing like leaving a nice, warm DNA sample in somebody's (read: Federal Government's) property.

play3393 4 points5 points 1 month ago[-]

Sounds like you hung around a bunch of homosexuals.

The_Murderer 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

Homosexual hooligans. Seriously, I bet they also were incredibly sassy to people who were dressed blandly on the street.

Beezlesnort 17 points18 points 1 month ago[-]

If it's your standard metal box on top of a wooden post, then you might want to upgrade to something a little sturdier.

Something like this: http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=stone+mailbox

What I'd do:

For a post, I'd find a squared metal tube the size of a 4x4 and sink it two feet deep, then fill it with concrete for extra strength and paint it brown.

For a box, I'd find a welder that could make me one out of half-inch metal plate, paint it silver to look like it's made of galvanized sheet metal, then bolt it to the top of the pole.

I guarantee that anyone that hits that with a bat will get what's coming to them.

ReddEdIt 20 points21 points 1 month ago[-]

What about going in the opposite direction and mounting a nerf-based mailbox onto a rubber post?

dishie 7 points8 points 1 month ago[-]

Or maybe install a mailbox in one of these.

mynameisjavits 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

This should get more attention. Consider them coming by and hitting the mailbox only for it to whip back up. Could work.

BitterHerb 9 points10 points 1 month ago[-]

Your mailbox would be very popular!

BigCliff 3 points4 points 1 month ago[-]

Good god, you're talking about a 200 frickin' pound mailbox there.

1/4" plate should be very sufficient.

Beezlesnort 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

If it's worth doing, it's worth over-doing.

joker_of_the_deck 12 points13 points 1 month ago[-]

Make a bulls-eye out of light wood and have it hung over your mailbox by a single thread. Write points scored if hit in different areas of the bulls-eye (50 points for centre, 10 points for edge, etc.).

When the kids come to hit your mailbox, their eyes will be drawn to the bulls-eye and they will try and score points. Since the bulls-eye is hung by a thread, no amount of bashing will break it.

Your mailbox will be gleefully safe.

tsoldrin 14 points15 points 1 month ago[-]

You can get a deer camera at most sporting good stores for about $50 bucks. They have night vision and work on batteries (coming on via motion detection) and are camo. I don't think you'll have the resolution to see a license plate, but you'll see the people and make of the car.

LakeRat [S] 7 points8 points 1 month ago[-]

Do they make one that captures pictures in a continuous loop, replacing the oldest as it runs out of room? Since the bashings are months apart the camera would quickly fill up with innocent vehicles driving by. If it could capture in a continuous loop I could just leave it up and grab the pictures when I wake up to find a bashed mailbox...

reivax 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

They dont loop continuously, but have delays to prevent overuse. They often take sd cards, so get a huge one, and mount it. For the first few days, make sure youre clearly getting the mailman. Then just clear it every weekend. I know hunters who deploy these for several weeks at a time, they get lots ofbirds, but never seem to run out of space.

DrMarianus 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

I don't know much about it. But you could always look around for firmware that supports what you are talking about.

diggalator 10 points11 points 1 month ago[-]

Ok so here's one that I saw while driving in the sticks of VT. I was going to try to describe it, but decided to draw a picture of it - http://i.imgur.com/5Oyp1.jpg. The idea is that when someone hits your mailbox, the pole rotates and the big rock hits them or their car.

Guvante 4 points5 points 1 month ago[-]

That would likely get you in legal trouble.

Making a hard to destroy mailbox is legitimate, but making a trap is typically not covered under protecting your assets. To be more specific the harm to the perpetrator cannot be more than the protection it provides. At least that is how most cases of this kind of thing have gone to my knowledge.

Awesome idea though.

old_po_blu_collar 9 points10 points 1 month ago[-]

eh, this will be buried but why don't you get one of those motion detection night cameras that hunters use?

Smay 8 points9 points 1 month ago[-]

I used to have the same problem at my old house. Unfortunately I never thought of a solution until afterward, but here are a bunch I came up with depending on what tools/methods you're comfortable with. A combination of some of these may be your best defense.

Disclaimer: I have no idea if these would work, they're just ideas.

Warning: Don't try to do anything which could hurt the kids, you'll probably end up getting sued.

  1. Put the mailbox post on (heavy duty) springs. The idea behind this is the mailbox post is attached to the ground with springs. When the mailbox gets hit, instead of getting smashed up the springs will absorb the shock. The post/mailbox will just swing down to the ground, then back up again. Since your mailbox is still getting hit, this will probably cause some damage to it still.

  2. Build a protective cage around your mailbox out of steel rebar or iron pipes. Something like this. This would require welding if you use rebar. If you don't have welding equipment, you could use iron pipes/pipe fittings to construct the shape you need.

  3. One interesting method I've seen is to surround the mailbox with steel posts. You would only need a few, just make sure they're at least as tall as the mailbox. The idea is to make it almost impossible to actually get to the mailbox with a bat.

  4. This one may be a bit dangerous for the kids. Get two mailboxes -- the second should be small enough that it fits completely inside the first. Place the second mailbox inside the first, then fill the space between them with concrete.

synt4x 9 points10 points 1 month ago[-]

So rigging the mail box with explosives is out, then?

thantik 8 points9 points 1 month ago[-]

I was saddened that it took this long to have someone actually suggest this. =(

CaptKing 3 points4 points 1 month ago[-]

Don't want to hurt the kids? The little bastards deserve it.

play3393 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

You can easily hit a mailbox hard enough to break it even if it's on a spring. Remember, impact force is not the same as continuously applied force.

GoodTimeLimeChime 7 points8 points 1 month ago[-]

Rig up a strobe light that's triggered by the movement of the mailbox. That'll freak them out.

Get in their head.

The strengthening of the mailbox may only challenge the offenders.

musketshot 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

As a kid, I had a friend whose neighbor put a big cast iron tube around his mailbox. The inner mailbox baseball player in me got a good laugh when I saw the mailbox completely unearthed and laying on the ground.

oddmanout 7 points8 points 1 month ago[-]

I thought this was a pretty innovative idea, not sure how well it actually works, though

http://www.punkproofmailboxes.com/boxes/b-buster/b-buster.html

rightc0ast 5 points6 points 1 month ago[-]

I know a guy to this day who broke an arm in the early 90's being a repeat basher.

Evidently, at night the homeowner started putting a bowling ball in his large mailbox, and talking it out in the morning. I didn't see the ball though. It's just what the guy says happened.

pestilence 4 points5 points 1 month ago[-]

put it on a swivel and rig it to release a fiberglass bicycle flag rod that's been tied back so it whips the little bastard in the face as he bats the mailbox.

thantik 5 points6 points 1 month ago* [-]

This honestly sounds like a profit opportunity. Make the whole smaller mailbox inside bigger mailbox thing, but instead of filling it with concrete, seal it and fill it with UV gel, something that won't wash off easily. Have cops go around with portable black light and voila.

calis 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

You could rig it to be shock triggered with a very mild explosive charge to deliver the die like banks put into money bags that are stolen. I like this idea very much.

thantik 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

Your idea may actually turn it into something that could be placed on the outside of a mailbox, maybe on top of it. I'm thinking possibly instead of an "explosive", you could rather put one of those mini c02 canisters in the device and just have jets propelled every direction...hmm, very interesting idea indeed.

llaskin 6 points7 points 1 month ago[-]

Buy larger mailbox. Place smaller mailbox inside. Fill air space with concrete.

JohnYonder 3 points4 points 1 month ago[-]

I'd try asking your mail carrier or local postmaster. They've might have some good advice on how others have handled this problem over the years.

mhyquel 5 points6 points 1 month ago[-]

You could see if they filmed themselves.

Any of those yours?

b00ks 3 points4 points 1 month ago[-]

Everyone seems to be leaning towards lots of concrete that leads to pain. I recommend an alternative, find a way to make the whole thing out of nerf or some extremely resistant plastic. So when they hit it, it springs back to shape.

ShepRat 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

Ahh I had to search to find a solution that didn't involve either inflicting damage or over engineering.

I recommended either using an old car tire to protect it or making a mailbox out of a plastic water drum. I have seen both of these regularly in rural areas and it wasn't until I saw this post that the reason has occurred to me.

chancesarent 5 points6 points 1 month ago[-]

Take a large mail box and a small mail box and set the small one inside the large one. Fill the large one with cement and make sure the small one sets dead center in the cement. Find a friend to help you mount it, and congratulations, you now have a bat-proof mail box.

Tarasosx 3 points4 points 1 month ago[-]

Fill the mailbox with concrete. If the hoodlum's baseball bat is wood, it will break, giving the mischief maker a face full of splinters. If it's aluminum, the bat will kick so hard he'll drop it.

ReddEdIt 7 points8 points 1 month ago[-]

And if there's mail?

foxnews 11 points12 points 1 month ago[-]

It'll fail to go in like nobody's business!

refrigeratorbob 5 points6 points 1 month ago[-]

You can't stop the mail.

DharmaBeer 5 points6 points 1 month ago[-]

Catching the punks is going to be too difficult to even make an attempt. Imagine if you will a square 1/4" plate steel mailbox on a properly installed steel pipe post. All welded together. That would deliver a pleasant treat to a bat wielding punk. I can just imagine how bad your hands would hurt after trying to bash it. Now imagine if the box were mounted at a 45 degree angle. If the perp hits too high the bat will be deflected upwards, if the perp hits too low, the bat will deflect downwards. If you cannot weld, I would discuss this with a fabricator. I wish you luck with this endeavor.

play3393 -1 points0 points 1 month ago[-]

You talk funny.

DharmaBeer 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

Writing. Over-rated since the inception of the internet.

salamandertamer 6 points7 points 1 month ago[-]

Get a brick mailbox.

salamandertamer 9 points10 points 1 month ago[-]

build a brick mailbox**

tehbored 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

I don't why why this suggestion is not higher up. They're quite nice and you certainly can't bash them in.

Exedous 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

God damned rednecks. Get a metal one attached to a metal pole. Disguise it as a wooden mail box. When one of those patty wack honkey sons of bitches tries to smash your box they'll fall out the window and possibly sustain a well good, old fashioned southern wrist fracture. By then, there will be a huge commotion. Run outside with your shotgun and shoot him in the fucking face.

NelsonUWP 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

If it's any consolation, a couple of kids in a small town near me got into a car accident throwing pizza ovens at mail boxes and lost control. One of them got tangled up in barbed wire and died.

thegreatgazoo 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

steve358 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

I laughed when I saw this becuase it reminded me of the time my father god fed up with having our mailbox bashed by the local invasion of drunken teenagers that visted my home town (Infamous party town on the shores on Geogrian bay) so he had a welder cut a hole in the bottom of it and ran a big steel pipe threw the bottom to the top of the box then proceded to set it in concrete things were good and quite on late summer night when I heard the sound of aluminum hitting the pavement followed by tires skreetching and someone yelling "DUDE HE BROKE HIS FUCKING ARM LEAVE THE BAT AND LETS GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE".... our mail box was a bit crumpled on the one side but the steel pole did its job and I bonused a nice aluminum bat out of it, a month or so later we all got "superboxes"... so the half crumped box is now laying to rest as a bird feeder in our backyard..

Forbichoff 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

old friend of mine had this happen a lot, so he put a hollow post in the ground, filled it with concrete, he heard when they tried to smash it later that month.

the person trying to smash it broke something in his hand when he went to smash it, they apparently weren't using a wooden bat. i consider that a lesson learned.

ropers 2 points3 points 1 month ago* [-]

Aren't mailboxes federal property (automatically, by virtue of being installed as a mailbox)?

EDIT: Yes, they are. Mailbox vandalism is a federal crime.

So basically wouldn't a motion detector and a webcam-to-CCTV conversion enable you to give any evidence you gather right to the Feds?

EDIT: And from https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/aboutus/laws.aspx :

Mail or Mailbox Destruction (18 USC 1705)
The Postal Inspection Service is committed to ensuring the safety of the nation's mail by securing letter boxes or other receptacles for U.S. Mail. To this end, Postal Inspectors aggressively pursue individuals who willfully or maliciously injure or destroy such receptacles.

According to this you can (also) use this form to report vandalism of your mailbox.

Suppafly 3 points4 points 1 month ago[-]

In my experience, Postal Inspectors don't aggressively pursue anything, save maybe their paycheck.

jenkstom 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

On a rural road near here I see lots of mailboxes placed inside metal pipe. Basically it's a piece of steel pipe maybe 10" in diameter, and about a foot and a half long that the mailbox goes inside of. Then that pipe is welded to a smaller pipe that goes to the ground and is set in concrete.

A baseball bat would just shatter on them. I presume there's a welder that lives in that area that did them all, because they all look the same. I can't find any pictures of such a thing though.

I see a lot of mailboxes built out of brick, but I also see a lot of those broken. I don't think that's the best way to go, unless you make it really really strong.

sinfield 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

Our previous neighbor was a retired welder. We had problems with vandalism a couple times.

Two 4" steel pipes filled with concrete and set in concrete to a depth of 30". The two pipes are ~18" from one another and joined by 1" crosspieces to provide lateral support. Atop the pipes is a steel cage just big enough to hold 2 mailboxes (one for us and one for the neighbor).

When I was in high school, one of my classmates was out drunkenly joyriding with some girls in his Jeep, showing off. He lost control and slid into the mailbox cage. The side of his Jeep was torn completely off. The mailbox posts were rotated ~10 degrees. Neighbor used a winch to rotate it back.

Never been sued, or had the construct challenged.

threepio 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

My father engraved a mailbox with an anchor attached. The whole thing was stainless steel.

As the story goes the man involved in the mailbox destruction was a passive aggressive neighbour. They caught him as he was trying to use a chain to pull the mailbox free - it pulled his bumper off and he drove away leaving his license plate behind.

dishie 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

Engraved?

Vock 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

I have access to an arc welder and stainless pipes of varying sizes, so I'd go to a scrap yard and pay the extra for a few sheets of stainless and weld together an ugly as hell mailbox capable of withstanding the apocalypse. You'd get the added bonus of knowing whoever tried to knock it over would probably end up with a dislocated elbow or shoulder.

If you live anywhere near Hamilton, ontario, and can get me the sheets of stainless, I'd be more than happy to cut and weld it all together and get you the pipe for a post for free.

LakeRat [S] 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

Thanks for the ideas, everyone. I love the ideas about filling with cement, bowling balls, reenforced steel, etc. but I've read about people being sued when the bashers injure themselves or when a car accidentally swerves off the road and hits an immovable mailbox. I'm not too worried about the bashers, but I'd hate for some old man to swerve off the road, hit my iron and cement contraption, and die.

squidboots 6 points7 points 1 month ago[-]

Perhaps this item would pair well with a concrete-reinforced mailbox?

spoonraker 2 points3 points 1 month ago* [-]

If you're worried about somebody getting injured on your bat-proof, concrete and steel mailbox-fortress, then here's a few ideas:

  1. Make the mailbox easily removable and take it inside with you every day after you check the mail. I'm sure they have smaller lightweight mailboxes somewhere.

  2. Put a hinge on the mailbox post close to the ground with some kind of quick release so you can just lay the mailbox down on it's side after you've checked the mail and stand it back up during the day. I doubt anybody would smash up a mailbox already laying on its side.

  3. Kind of similar to number 2, just fancier. Make your mailbox able to be raised/lowered without laying down. Two pipes, one just fits inside of eachother with holes drilled through them both, and some kind of pin for locking the height. Similar to how most exercise machines do height adjustment (http://www.sport-tiedje.de/uno/speedball_classic_height_detail.jpg). You can either mount the mailbox on a sleeve that fits around the post which would be a pipe, or if you want the entire post and mailbox to lower down to the ground you'll have to dig a very deep post hole and bury the larger diameter pipe that is slightly longer than the length of the pipe that will server as the mailbox post.

gleapsite 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

then talk to the police about it.

eleitl 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

but I've read about people being sued when the bashers injure themselves

Make sure they don't survive to tell the tale.

IrritableGourmet 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

Remotely deployed spike strip tied to shock sensor in mailbox.

greim 3 points4 points 1 month ago[-]

In high school I used to drive my friends to and from school, basketball games, etc. My school was in the country, and my dumbass friends sometimes wanted me to slow down and pull over so they could smash mailboxes. I refused.

LakeRat [S] 2 points3 points 1 month ago[-]

Bless you!

maineac 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

concrete post that goes right up through the mailbox. They will hit that one more time and that would be it

ENRICOs 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

Intersecting fields of fire (shouldn't require anything more than two 30 caliber machine guns on bi-pods. Concertina wire, (electrified or not, your call) toe poppers planted in a circular pattern around the box, and a good watch dog.

Problem solved.

NakedOldGuy 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

If you want to get really fancy, then put out an infrared webcam and have it programmed to record motion. When they bash your mailbox next, you have it on film and can take it to the post office or police station and say you have a recording of identifiable people committing a federal offense (because mailboxes are considered federal property).

StrayCloud 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

Idea. Deflect the blow instead of armoring up the mailbox. Construct an A-Frame mount and anchor it into the ground. Place mailbox in the hole of the 'A' and secure it. Something like this.

This lessens the probability of actually hurting the idiot children while protecting what's yours. I would think that since landing a direct hit on your mailbox will be nigh-impossible, your mailbox's popularity as a target will decrease.

nerdmeister 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

My family used to have this problem, we just gave up and now rent a PO Box from post office. Makes life easier.

hearforthepuns 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

In my city we have lots of road markers with rubber bases so that cops can drive over them without damaging their cars.

They'll fold all the way parallel to the ground and then spring back up again. One of those should have no problem supporting a relatively light mailbox.

They also use them in the Ikea parking lot so that dumbasses don't take out the markers every week.

AnnArchist 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

Put a metal arc over the box. Its gonna hurt bad when they hit the post instead of the mail box.

its deco.

Or put to water balloons filled iwth paint on either side of the box. Wait til you see it get bashed, then wait til you see a car with neon paint.

Proceed to kcik their asses.

mrpickleby 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

Try this?

1) Use a steel-reinforced concrete post for your mailbox

2) Facing your driveway from the street, plant the post on the right.

3) Mount your mailbox parallel to the road so front opens toward your driveway. At least this way, they will hit the post first as it should protect your mailbox.

Jazradel 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

I used to be in exactly the same situation as you. All we did was build our own mailbox out of thick plywood, it was easily strong enough to prevent future bashings. It's still in 100% shape 10 years later.

smasho1 -1 points0 points 1 month ago[-]

Jesus, people. I'd just get a fricking PO box... what you're doing with concrete, brick, rebar, etc. is effectively creating a tank-trap. It could actually kill somebody who dips too far off the road, and if you stick it too close to a public thoroughfare, that will always be a risk.

Anyway, about catching the one responsible: deer camera could work, but you can buy and install your own home security system on tigerdirect.com for use with a PC. Get a cheap PC, mount an outdoor security camera (maybe hidden?) and use security camera software (don't have a link, sorry) to manage the frame rate/activity.

I also suggest calling your local law enforcement to get their advice.

Guvante 1 point2 points 1 month ago[-]

So long as you didn't uber reinforce the ground portion it would likely give way there, since that is where the torque will be at first during the initial hit of a car.

In that case the car would go over the mailbox crushing it like a normal one.

So if you stick rebar in the concrete and the pole used for the box you may have a point, but most mounting methods would still fail at the base first.

unique616 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

Be careful, I've been told that it's a felony to hurt a federal employee, which includes the mailman.

willywalloo 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

Can you talk with your post man about putting the mailbox closer to your house along the drive, or maybe plant some bushes around it so it's hard to see?

xftwitch 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

Easy solution: buy two mailboxes, fill one with concrete, place on heavy duty (preferably metal) stand. Inside concrete filled box (which should be to the right of the real mailbox, leave a nice note that says "Please use other mailbox"

The mailman will get it immediately. As will anyone that tries to bash the boxes.

tcpip4lyfe 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

How about a wireless webcam on a post looking at the mailbox.

theone2 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

Try this one. Everybody on Reddit. Seems to like it. http://imgur.com/tJx1e.jpg

Dracius 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

I'm too lazy to walk outside and take a picture, but here's how we deal with the problem in Phoenix.

ShepRat 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

I'm seeing mostly people recommending harming the vandals which I find quite disheartening. These aren't some evil people, they are just stupid kids who will grow up one day and don't deserve possible permanent injury.

Anyway, if the look of the thin is not an issue. Bolt an old car tire to a pole and then mount the mailbox within it. You can get them for free and no matter how hard you hit it it won't get damaged and the risk of injury is minimal.

I also see a lot of people in rural areas using plastic water drums as mail boxes. They would also take some concentrated effort to damage.

vegasmacguy 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

frank26080115 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

bashing activated camera?

pyroman8813 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

I think it would be pretty cool to make the mail box on some sort of hinge where when they hit it, it will just fall over without any damage and then you can have it spring back.

Boring right? Here's the added kicker. Set it up so that the mail box being knocked over deploys a spike stripe into the road in front of the offending vehicle. Since this can all be done mechanically you wont need to worry about running any electrical power to it.

Grizzant 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

just put a simple circuit that if the mailbox is disconnected an EFP goes off. Guaranteed to shred the offender and their vehicle

Radar_Monkey 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

Just build a concrete form out of plywood and 2X4s just large enough to encase the mailbox. Be sure to dig down a few feet to ensure stability. Build a rebar or even chicken-wire cage to insert into the form that will reinforce the concrete. You could also just use bricks and fill the cavity with concrete. Be sure to insert ties if you plan on filling with concrete.

babucat 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

granite post instead of wood.

babucat 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

a neighbor built a stone thing to keep his mailbox in... basically like an outdoor fireplace but with a mailbox in it instead.

neuromonkey 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

Leave a small amount of unstable material (like ammonium triiodide) in your mailbox at night. It may get bashed, but it'll probably only happen the once.

Extra fun... Put something like an automotive air bag (or just a high-pressure balloon w/ a pin near it) in there, with a sealed bag of monster adhesive and a bag of shiny glitter in front of it. When struck, their car gets instant sparkly rainbow paint job. You could also add a bag of fecal matter.

Or... How about cameras (maybe with high intensity IR emitters) w/ motion detectors that'll catch their license plate? You might need front & back cams.

Or... Sculpt a mailbox out of a high viscosity, very sticky material that'll pull a bat out of your hands if you hit it.

Or... Sculpt a mailbox out of a dense, highly bouncy rubber. Bat bounces back.

DJ_Deathflea 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

Iͨͪ̒̿͞N͙̞̟̻̹ͮ͑̉̿͢C̡E̽ͨ͆ͨ͋͜P͆ͤͨ͝T̫̗͔͙̙̝͔͆ͤͯ͋ͯ̚I͊̒͊ͬO͚͔͖̟̟̝͓N͋

ropers 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

[deleted] 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

jooes 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

Build a new mailbox out of thick steel with a thick steel beam that's cemented into the ground. They'll only hit it once more, that I'm sure of.

potator 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

This reminds me of a guy who lives near us. To remedy the "mailbox baseball" problem, he created a mailbox post made of industrial I-beam. The box is held on with bungee cords.

Huggebugge 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

Let this be your inspiration http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka4_nQWtuVU

pistolerov2 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

Fill the mailbox with one of those paint-bombs they use to catch bank robbers, the mailbox explodes when it's hit and covers the perpetrators in semi-permanent blue paint, the next day it's pretty obvious which kids where doing it.

eclectro 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

mavaction 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

Most semi decent digital cameras have a remote trigger. It's a mini 1/8 jack that allows attaching a remote clicker to snap photos at the end of a long wire. The remote switch is usually a fancy thing that costs but you can just simply get a mini jack plug that fits and attach long wires with two free ends. The picture snaps during brief or permanent contact of the two wires...

Attach 30-40 feet of wire to your remote switch. Make a contraption so that when the mailbox is struck it triggers the momentary switch...The camera should be pointed down the street towards the mailbox in such a way as to frame the car during the shot...

Take test shots to see the car will be well framed...take tests on the switch mechanism to make sure it will fire...

Have a plan to save your camera...perhaps an alarm on the same trigger... Just like a red-light cam...these guys are going to know instantly that you busted them when they get flashed...

Make sure camera is not set to auto-shut-off ...maybe reset hourly. Make sure auto focus is off...have the focus properly adjusted for the shot of the car and mailbox...

xmod2 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

If you want to catch them, put a lever arm in front of the mailbox. Then when they swing and hit the lever arm, it throws caltrops out in front of the car.

drsnow711 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

Get a plastic mailbox that will take being hit by a bat. Get a 4x4 post and about two thirds of the way to the top cut it at a 45 degree angle. Drill out a 3/4 in hole in center of each part of the post. Place an steel rod in the bottom hole of the 4x4 and put the top part on the 4x4 on the part of the rod that is sticking out. There is now a steel core to the 4x4. Wax both sides of the cut to make them slippery and make sure the 4x4 can spin around the steel core. Mount the mail box to the post and set the bottom in concrete, making sure to put the lower side of the cut is towards the road. When hit the post should swivel around and drop back into place.

greim 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

I think if you made it obvious you were actively resisting their vandalism, you'd potentially attract their attention. They'd swing around and make sure your mailbox was destroyed. Something subtle is needed here.

AmandaKerik 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

Make the box out of concrete sandwiched between two normal-looking aluminum walls, reinforced with whatever's available. Same with the post - pretty wood outside tacked onto concrete reinforced with rebar / metal. Perhaps consider attaching the post and box with a heavy duty spring that would be invisible until bashing.

snuffaluffagus 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

Wide open-ended metal pole, cemented roughly 2 feet into the ground, fill the pole with cement, and then form a cement shell for your mailbox and overlay the regular metal box. My uncle lives on a farm and he used the aforementioned tactics and it worked quite well. There was broken glass from shattered windows as the bats recoiled when they struck the mailbox. Seems overkill, but he figured the cost of the materials and time would save him the hassle and overall cost of new mailboxes.

dkeav 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

Same thing, we solved it with a 5in steel pipe casing 5ft into the ground and sacrete'd in place. The mailbox was cut open to run the pipe into the mailbox, if they smack the mailbox they hit the pipe too.

RobotMafia 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

I've had this exact problem.

I solved the issue by purchasing a 6x6 Cedar post. Dug a roughly 48" hole (frost line), and set it in concrete.

It has yet to be smashed, but I imagine they would have some nice bruises.

Mr_Sadist 0 points1 point 1 month ago[-]

Rubber pole so it swings right back up...