Solution to rural mailbox vandalism

[1sparkybuc]

Put a standard mailbox inside a jumbo mailbox and fill the space in between with concrete. It takes more than one 80 pound bag to do the job properly, so get two bags and use what's left to help secure the post. Mount the jumbo box on the post and position it on it's back. Mix the concrete well, position the standard box, and pour in the concrete. Make sure you center it well and leave enough clearance for the doors to function properly. Also use a small board or piece of reenforcement bar to tamp it down so there are no voids in the mix. Get some help when you're ready to put the post in the ground. Doing it alone is a bear.   

I had to do mine in the basement because it's been too cold outside to work with concrete. Four and a half years with no problems, and then two mailboxes in two months. I'm 66 years old and replacing mailboxes in the dead of winter is not an easy job. The article I read on this said that broken bats, arms, and damaged cars have been the result with this system, and I am sorry if that ends up being the case here. I just can't keep doing this over and over again.

BTW, the cost was less than $60.00, excluding the post which I already had. I hope I have been a help to someone with the same problem. Judging from my neighbors' mailboxes, I am not the only one with this problem.

[DBrooksIsMyDaddy]

You should set up a surveillance camera so you can post the video of these idiots swinging a bat at that new mailbox.

[Morgan]

too much trouble - get a mailbox etc account and pick up your mail once a week.

[1sparkybuc]

You should set up a surveillance camera so you can post the video of these idiots swinging a bat at that new mailbox.

Not really practical. My driveway is over 900 feet long.

too much trouble - get a mailbox etc account and pick up your mail once a week.

A baseball bat can't hurt the new box. I don't worry about it anymore.

[DBrooksIsMyDaddy]

Too bad, Sparky, it'd be hysterical to see someone swing a bat and hit your reinforced mailbox!

[JavaBuc]

You have a picture of the mailbox?

[JavaBuc]

How about this mailbox?  Talk about a good target.

[JavaBuc]

This one would work.

[dalbuc]

That is very obvious that you can't bat it down, sparky offers a sort of ambush type effect because people might think they can get it and then find out to their chagrin they were wrong.

My only fear Sparky would be in our stupid legal world if someone would try and sue you for getting their arm ripped off.

[1sparkybuc]

You have a picture of the mailbox?

It's just a typical jumbo mailbox. Nothing special by all obvious appearances.

That is very obvious that you can't bat it down, sparky offers a sort of ambush type effect because people might think they can get it and then find out to their chagrin they were wrong.

My only fear Sparky would be in our stupid legal world if someone would try and sue you for getting their arm ripped off.

I'll risk that happening. In reality, I wouldn't expect more than a sprained wrist and a badly damaged bat. My guess is they aren't planning on playing baseball with it anyway.

[spartan]

I heard claymores are a lot more effective. Mailbox hits the dirt so does the jackass who knocked it down. With a 900 ft long driveway you have plenty of rose bushes to hide the evidence where nobody would fine them!

[TURBO]

too much trouble - get a mailbox etc account and pick up your mail once a week.

yeah, because that is VERY convenient for a 66 year old man...

hell, I'm 43 and I wouldn't want the extra stops either...

[1sparkybuc]

This one would work.

The door is still vulnerable on this one. The problem then becomes getting the damaged box out of the masonry. With my box, the outer door can be damaged, but the inner door remains protected. I plan to reinforce just behind the outer door with flat iron or rigid pipe to limit any damage and further protect the inner box.

[ryanbuc1]

Heard a story of a guy who had trouble with local kids running his mailbox over.  So he went and made a mailbox post out of an old railroad tie.  Needless to say the kid totaled his truck.

[JavaBuc]

Heard a story of a guy who had trouble with local kids running his mailbox over.  So he went and made a mailbox post out of an old railroad tie.  Needless to say the kid totaled his truck.

I'm loving that.