Explosive devices suspected in damage to mailboxes

Register Staff Reports • March 8, 2008

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is asking citizens to use caution when opening their mailboxes after seventeen mailboxes in Clay County were found to have been damaged by possible explosive devices.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office received several calls on Friday, regarding damaged mailboxes in the county, including a complaint from a United States Postal Office mail carrier who described several mailboxes as destroyed by possible bombs.

The Iowa State Fire Marshal Bomb Squad was called in to assist Clay Co. officials and seventeen of the mailboxes were determined to have been damaged by either a blunt object or explosive devices.


Some mail services in Spencer and Clay counties have been suspended and over 110 miles of county roads have been checked and over 1200 mailboxes have been inspected.

The investigation is on-going and anyone with information or a damaged mailbox are being asked to call the Clay County Sheriff’s Office at (712) 262-3221.

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Mailbox Warning

Saturday, 08 March, 2008 10:35 AM

(Spencer, IA)--Spencer Police say people with mailboxes on a post on the side of the road should not check their mail this morning.

Lieuntenant Mike Wilson says the department has been investigating a number of complaints about damage to mailboxes this [Saturday] morning. He won't go in to specifics but is concerned about people getting hurt.

Wilson says most of the complaints have come from the southern parts of Spencer -- but there are rural mailboxes that have been damaged, too.

Authorities say U. S. Postal inspectors are on their way to Spencer to investigate. In the meantime, Wilson says the safest thing to do is not to open those mailboxes on posts along the street or roads. That includes postal patrons or mail carriers.


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