Stupid Prank

[jwstewar]

They blew up our mailbox last Tuesday evening. Same type of deal. Wasn't much left of it. Wife heard what sounded like a gun shot around 11 PM. Asked me if I heard it, I said "No, I was asleep." Next morning as I was leaving for work, I saw what the shot was. The top of the mailbox was laying in the middle of the road. She found a cigarette lighter by the mailbox (well the post) called the Sheriff in the afternoon to file a report. They came out took a report, but nothing else (not that they necessarily could do much else). Saw in the paper that another mailbox had been "destroyed" a few miles away the same evening. I ended up taking off work a couple of hours early so I could try to get it replaced while daylight so that I didn't get run over.

 

[czechsonofagun]

Does anybody remember those kids that stole those street signs about twenty years ago? It might have been in Florida, but I'm not sure. They were out having fun one night and thought it was a big joke to steel them and let people drive through intersections without stop signs. Of course, there was a accident and if I remember correctly, a lady died because of thier prank.

There was some talk about the punishment being too harsh and that they were very sorry, but the judge didn't listen and sentenced them to quite a few years in jail. Does anybody know if they are out of prison yet, or any other details?

If somebody who knew them and what they were doing had done what 1bush2hog did, that lady might still be alive today, and the families wouldn't have had to go through the rest of thier lives without her. Did she have kids?

I never feel sorry for, or have any empathy for, those who commit crimes. I do have allot for the victims.

Eddie

It was less than 10 years since I remember it - and I am here only 10. I think one of them - girl - got 20 years?? - of course if it is the same case you are talking about.

 

[1bush2hog]

"Most all crimes are repeated by those who get away with them, and allot of the time, they get worse."

Realizing these were teens probably out messing around and not actually intending any physical harm, I tried to give them every opportunity to confess before I involved the police. I met with all of the parents on Sunday and told them if only one of their kids had stepped up to the plate and admitted they did it - things would have been much different

I also expressed the same concern to the parents about things getting more extreme. It seems to take extreme things to satisfy some of the younger generations hunger.

One of the mother's mentioned to me that the device was made with foil and draino - I have no clue, but I certainly understand that if the actual explosion of metal doesn't injure someone, the exploding draino could severly injure one's eyes. Nasty stuff if this is indeed true.

Many of my neighbors have called me in disbelief after learning of the incident and who was involved - All of the kids involved are excellent students, athletes, eagle scouts, etc. One bad decision can now effect the rest of their lives jeopardizing scholarships, etc.

The cop that showed up at the scene did indeed inform us that there were several similar recent incidents in our community - but they had no suspects in those cases.

I just wanted to put this out to everyone to give everyone a heads up - especially those with children. If this story can prevent just one potential future victim or culprit then we have all succeeded.

Prior to Sat. night, I would never have thought about having to worry about a bomb in my mailbox.

 

[DUMBDOG]

Some years back, we had someone killed due to a missing stop sign. A stupid prank, where there are large implications, do not think that the penalties are strong enough, if they catch the ones that did it.

Growing up, never did steal a sign or ruin a mailbox, never thought to do it. Guess my mind does not work in the devious ways that others do.

 

[Tig]

You did the right thing bush hog and to meet the parents is above and beyond. All people, kids included, have to be accountable for their mistakes. If they are smart they will begin by appologizing and repairing the damage immediately.

 

[MossRoad]

Growing up, never did steal a sign or ruin a mailbox, never thought to do it. Guess my mind does not work in the devious ways that others do.

Nothing devious about it. As kids, we started blowing up models with ladyfingers. That progressed to pop cans with firecrackers. Then we made stick launchers with pipes and bigger firecrackers. Tennis ball cannons out of beer cans and lighter fluid. Things start getting bigger. Estes model rocket engines (the big D cell kind) coupled to a model car with some firecrackers. Cool. Then some kids says, "Hey, my dad reloads his own shotgun shells and we have bags of gun powder in the basement" and it's all downhill from there, fellas. As I said, nothing devious about it. Misguided, yes. Devious, no. Until you start damaging other people's property. Then you cross that line.

 

[DUMBDOG]

Guess I was always to busy working to be misguided.

 

[rox]

I think you might jsut deal with kids and their parents if you found them toilet papering your trees or throwing dog poop or something. But when it comes to explosives, that is the next level and i do think you were right to call the cops. The judge will figure it out.

About a week ago the neighbor boy threw a very large firecracjer near me, about 5 to 6 feet away. then he ran away, of course he had to run in the open so i could see him so he wan't all that bright, i'd say he was 11 or 12 years old. i didn't think to much of it, my husband and i went over and talked to his parents, his dad wopped him upside the head and i made the kid tell me he was sorry. he also admitted it and didn't try to lie. But if that same kid made a bomb that blew up my mailbox i would call the police. that is the next level and it is dangerous. you were lucky your daughter saw them and recognized them. if she is about their same age i hope there are no teenage type reprisals against her.

And the dad being throw in jail for hitting his son, whats up with that? The kid deserved it. Nowdays nobody spanks heir kids and you see these kids in the grocery stores and in the department stores just throwing fits and being little tyrants. We rarely spanked but the kids always knew it was an option, thus it was a good detirent.

 

[chucko]

bahahahahaha
"The culprits claimed they learned this in high school physics class. "
and also
"say they did not do it"
Sorry but that is funny!

 

[jk96]

I use one of those jumbo size mailboxes and our mailbox was destroyed 6 times within an 8 week period. They were either smashing it or blowing it up as fast as I was replacing it. I finally bought one more, took it to my local metal fabricator and asked him to fashion the exact same mailbox out of 1/4" steel. He called with a quote of $300 and asked if I was sure I wanted to pay $300 for a mailbox. I told him yes, it would be the last mailbox I purchase. We welded it to some 4" square tubing with rebar and put about 500 lbs of concrete in the ground.

2 years later I've touched up the paint, picked up some burnt and destroyed mail from explosives a few time, but all any explosives have done is open the lid and bats have just scuffed some paint. No damage so far.

By the way, I am well aware of the legal issues, arguements against this idea, etc. The mailbox sets back into my drive and off of the road by about 30 feet. If they do hit it with a car they will also hit one of my verticle railroad tie posts thats part of a railroad tie fence and retaining wall.