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Question: Criminal Damage?


Ghostrider
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If someone has the letterbox of a building completely sealed off under multiple layers of duct tape, and someone purposely cuts completely through that tape in an attempt to gain access to the letterbox beneath. Would this constitute "criminal damage" of a level the Police could be persuaded to take an interest in?

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^^ If such a law exists its never been enforced in Shetland, as prior to Council and other Housing estates being built, and more recently some areas becoming effectively 'bedroom communities', letterboxes were rarer than hen's teeth outside of the toon. That said, nobody keyed their doors unless they'd gone to bed either, so the unlocked outside door served the same purpose as a letterbox.

 

I'd assume though, if such a law exists, that it applies to recognised "mail carriers" (for the use of) only, and a random private individual wanting to stuff some crap through your door wouldn't be able to hide behind that law if it were they who were cutting their way through.

Edited by Ghostrider
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^ I'm asking, because its already been done. The letterbox has been redundant for 10+ years, as thats how long its been since alternative arrangements for Royal Mail deliveries being made have been in place. It sat ignored until a year or two back the landlord sent a joiner round unasked to replace the old letterbox, with a new but totally crap one. It clatters and rattles like all hell whenever there's any wind blowing on it as the spring holding it closed is weak.

 

As it was never being used for any legitimate purpose I sealed it up which killed three birds with one stone. It got rid of the noise whenever the wind blew on it, it put an end to all the infernal unsolicited religious crap and other leaflets that got stuffed through it, and it put a stop to the landlord's employees from spying in through it.

 

Nobody's complained, and its worked fine this long, until some wiseass comes along with a knife and tries to hack their way through, apparently for no reason whatsoever (or if they had one, they didn't achieve it) as although they go so far, they didn't/couldn't get all the way through, so didn't/couldn't get or leave anything.

 

Were it mine I'd bolt it closed or remove it and bolt a plate over the hole to put an end to it once and for all, but as it ain't aforementioned landlord would no doubt bitch some more if I did.

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Dont shoot me because I cant remember where I have seen this but there is some ancient law that provides that all houses must have a means or facility to deliver mail ie a working letter box. It doesn't have to be in the door it can be a box on the wall etc

 

Apparently that law got revoked/applies no more with the demise of the GPO.

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never jeard of any law like tjat but you learn. re post slot as long as you dont damage the door you can remove the fitting and bolt hole up. you must keep fitting to be replaced at the end of your tenancy. sounds like kids. try not to worry too much. we have not had a delivery since a post lady met 2 of our porkers. our drive put off most callers. a benefit for a hermit like myself.  

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I would hope it wasn't kids, if for no other reason than the thought of a kid immature enough to do such things for kicks, also carrying a knife sharp enough to slice up stuck down duct tape is kinda concerning, but you never know.

 

I'm pretty certain it was a big kid in a suit, thinking they were being smart, but found out differently, who was the guilty party. Seeing as they managed to slice through along the line on the under edge where the letterbox starts opening from, and then when they found they weren't going to get the access they thought they were, took the time and trouble to try and put back in place as neatly as possible all the bits of tape they'd disturbed, presumably to disguise as far as possible what they'd done from being discovered.

 

There's a lot to be said for living out in the boondocks beyond the road's end with what appears to be aggressive livestock, it tends to discourage the vast majority of objectionable obnoxious "suits" that drift in when you have concrete to the door.

Edited by Ghostrider
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