For the past two weeks, vandals have targeted the Tres Pinos
Post Office, stealing pictures off the walls and breaking knobs off
the old-fashion antique mail boxes.
For the past two weeks, vandals have targeted the Tres Pinos Post Office, stealing pictures off the walls and breaking knobs off the old-fashion antique mail boxes.
Tres Pinos Postmaster Susan Horcajo said the vandals did not actually break into the boxes to steal any mail, but it has caused some inconvenience.
“They must have used something like pliers because it took a lot of strength to break them off,” she said while holding one of the knobs.
The post office closes at 4 p.m. but the main lobby remains open until 8 p.m.
“Sometime between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. is when they have come in,” Horcajo said.
When Horcajo called the maintenance department one concern was that the broken mail boxes would be replaced with the current standard aluminum mail boxes.
“They are so dull looking,” she said. “The copper boxes are part of the character of this post office.”
The old-fashion ornate copper mail boxes are the original boxes that were installed in the 1930s.
“These boxes are a part of our history,” Horcajo said. “They don’t make them anymore.”
However, when the boxes were repaired this week, the only worked needed was to switch the combination wheels with a key-lock system.
“We have about 350 mail boxes, but not all of them are combination locks,” Horcajo said.
Postal employee Milo Alejandro, with the building and maintenance department, said he would finish installing the locks by Saturday.
“I will be finished installing the locks by the end of the week,” he said.
On March 21, vandals also stole two news racks, which were immediately replaced and are now chained to a post.
“They were here Friday when I closed, but when I got here Saturday morning they were gone. Some people have suggested we put in video cameras,” Horcajo said.
As each box is completed, residents will be given their key.
“We really have not had any problems here before,” Horcajo said.
