Fireworks And Mailboxes Don’t Mix

The cancellation of most of the fireworks displays across the state didn't stop folks from celebrating this 4th of July. As we reported in an article last week, fireworks sales across the state and even the nation were up between 35 percent and 200 percent.

I know in my neighborhood, residents seemed shoot off some practice rounds starting as early as Monday of last week. And while thankfully, it seems that most of the people who purchased fireworks,seemed to set them off without a hitch, or at least I haven't heard of any real mishaps, there was one instance in downtown that left me shaking my head.

Apparently, someone in Bangor got the bright (or really not-so-bright) idea to toss some fireworks into the USPS mailbox on the corner of 3rd and Larkin St.

Aside from being a real jerk move, especially for anyone who happened to have mail in there waiting to be collected, it's also a federal offense. You can't tamper with the mail.

According to the USPS website,

Mailboxes are protected by federal law, and crimes against them and the mail they contain are considered a federal offense. Violators can be fined up to $250,000 or imprisoned for up to three years for each act of vandalism.

So while I'm sure whoever it was that came up with the idea to help the box go boom thought it was just a hoot in the heat of the moment. But in the cold light of day, that person is likely regretting that decision now.

Luckily, the box itself didn't explode. But my guess is the mail inside was pretty much toast. So if you put a card or bill in the mailbox on that corner, you may want to double check that it makes it to its destination. And if it doesn't, at the very least, you have a better excuse than "my dog ate it."