Mailbox Vandalism

Although mailboxes are the responsibility of the customer/property owner as defined U.S. Postal Service™ Post Office Manual Section 632, mailboxes are considered federal property, and federal law (Title 18, United States Code, Section 1705), makes it a crime to vandalize them (or to injure, deface or destroy any mail deposited in them). Violators can be fined up to $250,000, or imprisoned for up to three years, for each act of vandalism.

Postal Inspectors recommend these actions to protect your mailbox and any mail that may be inside it:

• Immediately report theft, tampering, or destruction of mail or mailboxes to your Postmaster at 951.656.9720 or 800.275.8777.
• Immediately report theft, tampering, or destruction of mail or mailboxes by reporting it on the Postal Inspection Service Online Form or call 1.877.876.2455.
• Obtain Label 33 from the Postal Inspection Service and affix it to your mailbox. The sticker warns that willful damage to mailboxes and theft of mail are crimes.
• The customer should keep your mailbox in good repair, and make sure it’s properly installed. This may help prevent theft of the mailbox itself.

If you have information on mailbox vandalism, call the Postal Inspection Service to report it at the phone number above. Your cooperation helps apprehend violators.