To the "mailboxers", Strike One.

Juveniles. They'll get a whole new at bat when they turn 18.

Isn't it a Federal Offense to smash a mailbox (especially if there was mail in it)?

Good job Mr Haley, hope they are made to pay all damages. Now if we could catch the ones breaking all the street signs, and make them pay instead of the taxpayers, that would be a big help!!!

How did the parents not know their teen was in violation of the juvenile driving restriction? A police officer is his father too? Take responsibility for your children.

Are you kidding me? Out smashing mailboxes? Nice that the drivers dad is a Police Officer...there are supposed to be serious penelties when you are a junior driver with people in the car!!! Hope he loses his liscence for a LONG time!!

Good job Mr. Haley and thanks getting these "trouble to society" to cops.
--B

Make them replace everyone's broken mailbox in town for an entire year

Federal law treats mailboxes as federal property, and thus the vandalism or destruction of them is a federal offense. That does not necessarily mean that the federal government will actually pursue those charges in any particular case. The act may also be a crime under state law, for which state charges could be brought.

Mr. Haley, assuming you may know the names of the driver and his father? Probably tempting not to out them on the Patch! I share your frustration as this has happened to us before. We couldn't prove who it was so the police and post office could do nothing.

We should have more neighbors like Mr. Haley! The police are over payed, understaff and affraid to do anything. What's the matter with a swift kick in the pants? We are heading in a wrong direction. Good for you!!! Sincerely yours, Scott

I have said it before, and I'll say it again, put the kids in school year round. The summer vacation breeds contempt. The kids have nothing else to do but to destroy public property. Put them in a classroom and put a book in their hands!!

That's a pretty bleak view, Mary. Did you not go on vacation when you were a kid or something? Parents being involved in the lives of their kids is the answer. Why should school serve as a defacto parent?

Agreed Bill. Sending them off to school year round is not a solution. Parents need to step up and have more involvement with their kids year round not just summer parents. Teachers are not paid to be parents. Clearly all of these teens do not know right from wrong.

Mary you are crazy. It's easy to sy put kids in school all year when u don't have to. Get real. And mr Haley, this really ruined your summer? You obviously have a cheap metal mailbox that is easily replaced with 4 screws. You will get reimbursed so stop being a crotchety old Scrooge. Young kids are punks as you were when you were that age. Punishment will be enough, no need for you to cry over the 16yr olds not being hauled to jail for a dumb reason

Tyler, you need someone to bust up some of your property and maybe you won't have this obviously immature viewpoint. You probably don't have as much pride in your possessions and hard work like Mr. Haley.

I will bet you a new mailbox that your mailbox is smashed again. Like teeing up at the driving range. Four!

Ah it's after 11am, looks like the kiddos woke up finally and are posting on the Patch.

Bill Gilman, I stand corrected on when he got his license - That's the last time I listen to my child (LOL)

Do you feel threatened? I'm just being realistic here. Every year there's a new flock of teens that take the street and need to get "mailboxing" out of their system.

Cm9 and Alan, I actually am not in 9th grade. I had my mailbox ran over 2 months ago. I replaced it with a new one. It happened overnight so Im sure it was no accident. If it happens 4 more times I will definitely make a police report and do what I can to find out who it is. What I would not do is cry and moan that the kids get sent to jail. I love how "older" people forget the bad things they did as a teen and are so quick to lock up kids for being idiots. I bust my butt for everything I have but I'm also not in some delusional state where people be killed for any wrong doing towards me.

This is so frustrating...I'm glad Mr. Haley was able to track down the offenders. It's happened to me twice since living in Tewksbury followed by a trip to Home Depot to buy a new mailbox and time spent installing a new one...only to have it happen...again.

My elderly parents in another town had it happen three times! before they installed a largre boulder in front of their mailbox.

I understand that kids do dumb things...we can all look back on our lives and think of a few. But never did I think it was thrilling to destroy another person's property. How can you possibly think you are uber cool and tough because you smash a mailbox with a bat? I don't get it. It really is the dumbest thing I could ever imagine doing. These kids definitely have too much idle time on their hands. I do believe they all should install Mr. Haley's mailbox themselves...and if there are any recent mailboxes down...they should install those as well. Simply because they probably were involved in that as well.

If these kids are reading this....look up the "Golden Rule" - it will never steer you wrong.

Good job, Mr. Haley! Obviously these kids with seemingly nothing better to do at 1:00 a.m. (where are the parents?) had "intent" and calling it going "mailboxing" think of it as a sport. They should be made to make restitution regardless of their age or 'connections'. As to the immature commenting, I would love to see something of value to THEM destroyed, they might sing a different tune.

If a mailbox is of value to you then you need to re-evaluate your priorities. What makes not thinking the kids should be arrested immature? Nowhere did I say they shouldn't be punished. My issue initially was with mr Haley repeating they should be cuffed 4 or 5 times. The people who think I'm being immature are the same people who think an old man pulling a gun on kids who walk through his yard is fair game

Tyler - If it was a man or woman in their 30's, 40's or older who got caught doing this they would be cuffed. Destroying another person's property is a crime and Alan Haley has a right to be angry. I think this mailboxing is an under reported crime as I never called the police when it happened to me.

The last time I looked we aren't living in Beverly Hills. We all work hard for our money.

I think they should be the mailbox replacement team for the next year. Sometimes making someone an example makes others think twice before they attempt doing things.

Good job Mr. Haley!! I hope that kid is going to replace it. They should have arrested him for what he did and taken his car away too. Without stricter punishments these kids keep doing this. And SHAME on his dad, so what if he is a poilce officer, he should have said lock him up see you tomorrow. Bet we will be reading about this kid again.
Was this the only mailbox damaged on the street???

On a side note whichever punk swung the bat should be embarrassed. An eight year old girl should have been able to knock the mailbox off clean from a moving vehicle. These punks should spend some time in the cages...batting cages that is although the cage at the police station would have been good too.

kodos to mr haley ... they got mine too but it took days to build it..lucky for them ...we were going to do more than call the cops....the people here are all ready to catch them. how many cops kids are doing the town poorly...lets go boys talk to your own

This man probably "saved" the rest of the mailboxes on the street since he hopped in the car and followed the little bastards. IF it were my child that I had to go get from the scene or police station, you can bet this man would have a top of the line granite unsmashable-without-breaking-a-wrist mailbox installed by hand by my child - which my child would pay for - EVEN if my kid was just one of the morons in the back seat.

Regardless of the cost of the property or damage, albeit a mailbox, drug addict stealing change in a car console, and doing donuts on someone's lawn. IT IS STILL WRONG. These kids are just mad they were CAUGHT not remorseful for doing it in the first place. I am pretty sure this wasn't the first inning for mailbox baseball for this crew.

Lastly, shame on the parents for not knowing where there kids were at 1:30 am. NEVER BLINDLY BELIEVE A TEENAGER WILL BE WHERE HE/SHE SAYS THEY WILL BE. I know - every parent says "my little Suzie would NEVER do that"... trust me, she will and probably has or has at least thought about it. Talk to the parents where the kid is supposed to be sleeping over and make sure the parents are going to be home.

Kids old man sounds like a real jerk,but that's to be expected of "THE THIN BLUE LINE TYPES"like farther like son.

I grew up here in Tewksbury...I remember my brother did something stupid and minor as a teen...he was arrested (we can laugh about it now) and my dad was called...my father simply said...I will see him in the morning, teach him a lesson. Guess what? It sure taught him a lesson. I guess 30 years ago...tolerance and parenting were different.

I don't understand the few on here who are actually, in a way, defending the actions of these kids. Throw them in jail and let mom & dad pick them up there. Make them pay for and install the new mailboxes (with more expensive models than the ones they broke). Then have them do community service to the town for a year. Some CONSEQUENCES! People are WAY too coddled today and it's got to change. Well done Mr. Haley! Hopefully more people like you will stand up and stop this from happening again.

i think mr haley should have taken out his bat and smashed all their iphone and see if they feel the same about their property being destroyed.....

I agree. These kids in this town need someone to confront them. Too many people are afraid of doing that. Something is wrong with the water in this town. I Blake the parents for no parental supervision (know where your kids are who they are with and set curfews and stick to them). When they come home drill them on what who and where. The parents of thus turn and the administration in the schools have a lot to do with how these kids in Tewksbury are acting. It is a frying shame.

Respect starts at home and should end up on the inside and out! No school should be blamed for these actions.

Hang in there Mr. Haley, seems like everyones with you with the exception of one or two village idiots.

all of you are crazy.. lets talk about the real problems and questions with this town, state, and country instead of stupid mailboxes that nobody even uses anymore.. hope you all got your coupon books from Val-Pak, grow up everybody... time to get to the real issues, like when is orange leaf going to open next to walmart? why the HELL won't Manino let Chik-Fil-A into boston? and what do you all think of Penn State taking down the paterno statue only to replace it with a sandusky statue?

OK guys enough is enough. Patch is NOT a place for threats and NOT a place for dueling testosterone. This is a place for ideas and opinions to be exchanged. The threats of violence and/or crimes and retaliation will not be tolerated. It ends now. I trust I won't have to remind you again.

TylerD is on the kids side and has something against Alan. You don't just walk in a post like this and hate on someone that did the right thing. TylerD is also a scared little bit&%.

TylerD, say it to Mr. Haley's face.

One got caught in my neighborhood when I was a kid... I vaguely recall a story about a bunch of the neighbors pinning the perpetrators until the cops got there. They may have actually made the person fix a few of them somehow. It was pretty awesome back then. Thank you Mr. Haley. Side note, I think more neighborhoods in town should start neighborhood watches: http://tewksbury.patch.com/articles/walter-macial-takes-action-makes-a-difference-in-his-neighborhood

back2back: "hate on"? "scared little bit&%"? Are you a product of the Tewksbury School system? How about keeping the "ghetto speak" in the ghetto. You're not only bringing yourself down with phrases like "hate on", but being a poor representative of the community, as well. Unfortunately, the essence of your post gets lost within its "style", which sticks out like a sore thumb. Instead of "dumbing down", try "smartening up" some.

Shut up janellen27 he's sticking up for the guy who got his mailbox destroyed u don't have to make fun of how he says it

back2back: Both bring the community down.

By the way, kids have been smashing mailboxes with baseball bats for at least 50 years, that I'm aware of, in this town and every other. A perpetual crime. Usually presents itself in the spring and summer when testosterone-laden teens start feeling their oats and have nowhere positive to direct their energies. Same ol', same ol'. A crime nonetheless, involving the property of others, and must be dealt with. I feel sorry for the Police--how boring and tedious for them!

"Internet"? Don't "care what anyone else thinks" of you? Well, there ya go! In a nutshell.

Jennifer Nagale u should just sue them

Fill a mail box full of cement and boy will they get a jolt when they hit it.

Well, alrighty then, Campers . . . are we all clear that the thing to do is get the plate and descriptions and call the PD asap with the vehicle's direction of travel? If you're asleep, notify them as soon as you realize you've been hit so they can add your address to the list of the night before's mailbox hit list. (They say that even though you paid for your mailbox, you don't own it--the PO does! Well, that's all well and good until it's time to replace them, then it's a total double standard. It's the craziest law on the books!)

Good luck, Alan, with your newest mail box. I know I went through--to my shock when first arriving in this town--about 11 mailboxes in eight years! If it isn't the kids, it's the plows, and if it's not the plows. . . well, this year, the mailman contributed, too! lol.

FYI - I've noticed that not all comments have a "reply" button, so sometimes it looks like someone is responding to the wrong person. Sometimes makes it hard to follow. (This has been your public service announcement). :-D

I think whoever is operating The MuthaBoard has been asleep at the wheel of late. Posts are coming in E-mail a lot faster than they're showing up on the board itself! No wonder one cannot figure how or where to reply!

**If you hit the available "Reply" button within the conversation, then the conversation starts building backwards, most recent post first, in order of reading.

**If you DON'T hit the "Reply" button, and type your Reply in the empty box, it winds up looking like you're not replying to anyone.

I have no idea how to avoid this confusion. Someone please wake up the Board Operator! lol.

You just can't wait for the police in a situation like this. This is your house, and if you keep getting hit from kids, then YOU have to do something about it. My best suggestion I can give everyone in this town is to buy a surveillance camera and hide it somewhere in your yard.

Enough is enough with the punk kids running around thinking they can do whatever they want and not get in trouble. I can 150% see why Mr. Haley isn't giving anyone a single chance.

A license plate isn't enough if there if no one can identify the driver or passengers in the car.

If you're driving 70mph then you're a hypocrite. You can't be angry at these kids and then go and break the law too, no matter what. Time to be like Michael Jackson and start with the man in the mirror. Free Willy Alan, Free Willy.

Guys please watch your language and i shouldnt have to tell you that we can't have folks accusing specific police officers of corruption out here. Not cool.

So who were the 3 girls in the back seat egging them on?

No, Janellen, I am not associated in anyway with any police department, however, I have HIGH opinions of them and the work that they do.

I for one do not agree that after 3-4x of getting your property damaged to "just get the plate". You can live that way, but I agree with what this gentleman did. I know I would have followed them too. (Although, honestly I wouldn't have to because my security cameras wuold have done the job I would have needed).

I understand that the police physically can't get to everywhere we need them to be and if this gentleman was on the phone with them and giving location updates along the way, That's good with me. He wasn't going Zimmerman on them, however, he is lucky from the sounds of it that the police arrived when they did because cornering a group of teens, who you know have a bat, on a dead end street, may be harmful for your health.

And for the person who said I would be sued for installing a granite mailbox if the moron took a swing at it, you are mistaken. Swinging at it is the crime, not installing it.

I do hope the parents of these kids did the right thing and bought out the stock of mailboxes at the local hardware stores and sent them all over town replacing any mailbox that looked like it had ever been hit with a bat. That'll give them something to keep them busy for a while.

Another night, 1:30am, I heard a car go over my lawn and rip the bottom of itself on rocks that were there. I knew the sound; it happened often. I flew out of bed, got in the car & happened to notice that car had hit a tree 3 houses down, was backing up to turn around and go home & hit it again! The car approaches my house creeping & making a lot of banging noise, radiator shot, and I'm sure the driver is drunk. I pull out of my driveway to follow him to get the plate # and simultaneously, call the PD. The driver stops his car in the middle of the street right in front of my house. Ot-ohh; now I'm trapped. He gets out of the car & wobbles toward me; I'm scared. He's a huge hulk in a trench coat, & VERY drunk. I kept asking him if he was alright & if he needed an ambulance; he kept repeating a slurred, "I'm Ok". I'm on the phone with the Dispatcher, they're running the plate, & it's not coming back to anyone! Hhm. Two cruisers have arrived. A little more time, confusion, then suddenly--and, mysteriously--I'm dismissed. Hhm. . .

Two weeks later, I get a call from the State Police IA. They come out and interview me. The vehicle was an unmarked State Trooper/Detective's car. He lied to them about direction of travel, and more. He was screwed. Well, good, he deserved it. It's that surge of addrenalin & determination--like Alan felt--to not let them get away w/it that propelled me, but ANYTHING could have happened to me, even tho at the moment, I didn't care.

Putting kids in school year round will do nothing besides make the students who value their education more stressed because they have to deal with the deebs that don't care about anything. If someone is going to do something wrong they'll do it weather or not they're in school or not. Believe me it doesn't change a person, and just the same amount of crimes are done while being in school as being out of school.

vigiljustice: Looks like an outright threat to me! Your screen name reinforces your intent. Think twice.

Janellan27, grow up. There is a reason we have police and tough guys like you and Alan end up hurt and suing the cops for not getting there fast enough. Your not a superhero

112 comments..this is probably the most comments I have ever seen for 1 article. seems like it has turned into a cyber fight. Looks like half of you say its ok to smash mailboxes after all its been done for over 50 years now. then there is the group that stick up for the things they buy. I am sure if someone did something to these kids belongings they probably wouldnt be happy. Now that is taken care of lets move on to another article. there really is no need for all the hatred for what 1 guy felt was right.

Most people would probably be happy with an apology and being compensated for their damages. But not everybody. Some people such as Alan Haley, would accost these kids in a parking lot, get in their face, threaten them and attempt to intimidate them instead. Looks like the "tough guy" - "fed up resident" Alan Haley will be joining the kids in court now. These kids are immature juveniles who made a poor decision. What's Haley's excuse?

am I missing something? What happened between July 30 and today?

What you missed is this over grown punk, Alan Haley, thinking he can violate laws because some kid hit his mailbox. He somehow believes he now has been given the right to threaten and intimidate teenagers instead of letting the police and the court handle it. I'm sure he'll attempt to deny what he did too. Because he's the type of coward who approaches kids and treatens them. Too bad for Haley one of the kids videotaped his rant on his i-phone for proof so he's screwed. Ever hear of two wrongs dont make a right? He's supposed to be the law abiding adult victim? Make me laugh. Someone needs parenting classes for sure. It's Alan Haley's parents.

Interesting... was he arrested?

He left before the kids called their parents and told them what happened. There will be charges brought against him. And Janellen27 there was NEVER any evidence these kids were "repeat" perpetrators. Just because his mailbox was hit more than once doesnt mean this group did it. Are you just assuming? Haley is now the "perpetrator" of a crime. Dont be a hypocrite ok? Either you're for law and order or you're not. You cant have supposed adults a month later stopping in a parking lot of a gas station on Main Street on a Friday night, getting out and harrassing and threatening kids who are minding their own business. Lets have a little consistency and hear you say Haley should be prosecuted.

Sorry commentary when all we have to do is follow delinquent kid stories on a Saturday evening. Perhaps sitting in our houses watching if the next driver coming by has a bat.

Never did get the names of the 5 kids (2 guys in the front 3 girls in the back). 1 kids father is a police officer in Everett. Can we fill in the blanks?

So you are a hypocrite Janellen27. Thanks for clearing that up for everyone. Most people get it that Haley was rightfully upset at the time the incident occurred. He'll get his day in court and I'm sure the court will order him to be compensated for his loss. A month later after the heat of the moment has passed, what that doesnt give him, is the right to harrass, intimidate and threaten teenagers over what happened before the court rules on it. His criminal offenses are FAR more serious than minor property crime committed by immature juveniles. He's supposed to be an adult that knows better. And yes, I have seen his despicable behavior on that video first hand. You have not obviously or you would cease defending him on this.

<Sarcasm filter>
But hey...why let judicial due process stand in the way of a little vigilante justice?

No, I haven't seen the video... but despicable doesn't equal illegal or "criminal offense". If there is video proof of such a heinous crime, how come he hasn't been charged on the "far more serious... criminal offense"? What is the hold up? Please be sure to point it out as soon as his arrest hits the police log.

A gracious person who had an once of class would respect someone who called to apolgize. But not this guy. He sends juvenile comments to teen girls on facebook calling them "white trash". He thinks he has to right to threaten and arrass kids a month later. Well I got news for you, he doesnt. This kids father actually STILL feels bad for this guy. He isnt sure if hes going to file the charges yet. Wants to "cool off first" before he decides. I would have done it already.

Oh and did I leave out the parents took the kids car away from him for a month because of the incident. You just have NO idea what youre talking about. Haley knows what he did and seems to at least have the good sense not to respond here. Let sleeping dogs lie. Maybe the kids parents will show the grace he did not and let him off the hook.

Would you be feeling "gracious" after your mailbox had been bashed four times and had to be replaced as many? I wouldn't.

What I want to know is who placed the call with the apology? Did the parents drive the kids to Mr. Haley's house so the kids could apologize?

So, the kid lost his driving privileges. . . what else?

I do not know Mr. Haley, nor do I know any of the kids involved, but let me ask you this, was their behavior indicative of "white trash"? The the accusation fit?

The kid's father SHOULD still feel bad! (Are you the kid's mother? Maybe not because you don't seem to "feel bad".)

Again, you're still putting the focus on The Victim here, which lets the kids off the hook. The kids are the bad guys in this story. They are The Perpetrators of a crime. Nevermind anyone else's behavior. How are the kids being re-educated here? I'm sure they're not "feeling bad" about what they did with so much emphasis on the other guy.

Quite frankly, I'm not interested in anything other than what the kids had to face. Did they have to take their money and physically go to Mr. Haley's house and replace his mailbox themselves? What else?

Honestly, this is an old topic, now, and I don't want to spend anymore of my energy on it. I'd just like to know what punishments and results the kids had to deal with. There are more important things in life that need my attention.

Those are some hefty accusations there...