Is Mailbox Baseball A Felony or Federal Offense In CO?

Schools are out for the summer all across Colorado.

Now that kids are not in the classroom, they're on the hunt for something to do. Maybe you'll send your children to summer camp or sign them up for some fun classes.

When I was a kid, my mom would send my sister and I off to a day camp down the road. After camp we'd hang out by the pool near the camp building and just relax.

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Most of my summer as a kid was spent outside either sitting by the pool or on the beach in my small Pennsylvania community.

Summer in Colorado: What Are Kids Getting Up To Now That School’s Out?

Nowadays, kids will probably spend a good amount of their time over the next few months attached to a screen. While I'm all for kids getting the right amount of rest and relaxation after the school year, there needs to be balance.

Parents will try their hardest to get kids out of the house. The double edged sword is that when the kids are out of your hair, you still worry about what they're getting up to.

Common Summer Mischief Colorado Parents Should Watch Out For

There's one outdoor activity that kids might get up to this summer that will cause them some issues with the law.

Nine times out of ten, I was hanging out by the pool in the summer. I never really got up to any trouble.

Well...I didn't get in MUCH trouble.

This “Game” Could Land Colorado Kids in Serious Legal Trouble

There was a trend that I remember caused some drama in my hometown. Some of my classmates shared that some of their mailboxes had been vandalized.

Apparently some kids thought it would be funny to play a game called "mailbox baseball." The general gist of this is pretty cut and dry.

People drive around town, hanging out the side of their window with a baseball bat, then swing at mailboxes around town.

What Is Mailbox Baseball and Why Is It a Federal Crime?

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If someone is caught hitting a homer with a mailbox, could they face some serious charges?

Well, officials from the USPS issued a statement a while back regarding this exact thing!

The Federal Law Every Colorado Parent Should Warn Their Kids About

Mailboxes are actually protected by federal law! If you are caught vandalizing the physical boxes or the mail inside of them, you could be convicted of " destruction of federal property."

If found guilty, you could face up to three years in jail and face a fine of up to $250,000.

Remind your kid: if they’re planning mischief like this, they’ll have to choose—pay the fine or pay for college. Their call!

What Colorado Law Says About Mailbox Vandalism

And there's also technically a statewide law regarding this too! This sort of vandalism would fall under criminal mischief if "he or she knowingly damages the real or personal property of one or more other persons,” according to Justia U.S. Law.

Damaging a Mailbox Can Lead to a Misdemeanor or Felony

The sort of offense that it would fall under depends on the extent or value of the property damage. Some of these incidents result in a petty offense or a misdemeanor charge or even a felony depending on the circumstances.

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