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Two mail collection boxes at the Ellijay Post Office remain out of service after being vandalized over the Christmas holidays.
Two outdoor mail collection boxes at the Ellijay Post Office remain out of service after being vandalized over the Christmas holiday weekend.
After the holiday, the Ellijay Police Department received a 911 call from a citizen concerned that the blue mailboxes outside the post office on Industrial Boulevard had possibly been vandalized.
According to Police Chief Edward Lacey, the post office was already aware the vandalism had occurred and had turned the boxes on their side. That was to keep any other mail from being put in them, and yellow caution tape was also put up around the drive-thru mail drop-off area.
It is not known how much, if any, mail was removed from the boxes, which sustained damage including pry marks on the doors and damaged locks.
The Ellijay Post Office declined to comment on the mailbox vandalism, citing that the case is now being handled by the U.S. Postal Inspector’s Office. A formal incident report and/or investigation through local authorities was declined, said Lacey.
The Times-Courier contacted the district postal inspector’s office, but did not receive a response by press time.
Citizens concerned about missing or lost mail should contact the Ellijay postmaster, Lacey noted. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service can also be contacted at USPIS.gov or 877-876-2455.
Damaging postal service collection boxes is a federal offense. Anyone convicted of destruction of federal property can face three years in jail and a fine of up to $250,000.