READER REPORT: Westwood Village mailbox break-in

| Crime | West Seattle news | Westwood

Thanks to the reader who texted that photo. According to a sign on the Westwood Village Post Office drive-up/ride-up/walk-up mailbox, it’s been broken into. That leaves West Seattle without this type of mailbox again, as the West Seattle Junction Post Office mailbox still hasn’t been replaced, two years after it as stolen (though a reader recently told us the Post Office staff there told them replacement was finally imminent). The Westwood box was absent for three weeks last year for unspecified “repairs.” We’ll be checking with USPS regarding the plan for this one.

Azimuth September 2, 2025 (9:18 am)

I went to the Ai Weiwei exhibit at Seattle Art Museum last week. He had several “found object” works there, including a mailbox. Maybe he could lend it to West Seattle?

Angie F. September 2, 2025 (12:10 pm)

This is what societal breakdown looks like.

WSB September 2, 2025 (3:19 pm)

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If so, it’s been breaking down for at least a decade … that’s how long we’ve been covering attacks on this mailbox and/or the Junction one.
https://westseattleblog.com/2015/08/fire-destroys-mail-in-drive-up-box-outside-westwood-post-office/

Rhonda September 2, 2025 (1:34 pm)

It hasn’t been a “drive up” mailbox since it was reinstalled too far away from the curb for anyone but a 7-foot NBA player to place a letter inside from the driver’s seat.

WSB September 2, 2025 (1:55 pm)

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Yes, I know, but you can drive up/ride up and walk a grand total of two steps to the box, so it’s close.

ltmmgm September 2, 2025 (1:35 pm)

All I can say is….🤦🏻‍♀️

Robert September 2, 2025 (1:38 pm)

I work in the metal fab industry and there is zero reason these can’t be built better to avoid this. Look at that front panel, that can’t be thicker than 1/8″ steel.

Jim September 2, 2025 (3:23 pm)

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Yes, a quarter inch or 5/16″ would do the job – A custom locally made would fix the problem – but then I’m guessing that some federal law prescribes that they must be made of tin foil like they are now. Just paint the new one blue and don’t tell anybody. I’m thinking the front might be 16 ga. Even weld heavy sheet over the existing sides (leaving a hole for the key).

GoInside September 2, 2025 (2:03 pm)

At this point, with this many thefts, I’m surprised anyone uses these anymore. It’s inconvenient of course and you’re limited to lobby hours, but I always bring my mail inside the post office now and drop it in the slot. (And all this time I just assumed that the West Seattle Junction location gave up and wasn’t replacing their drive-up box.)

1994 September 2, 2025 (10:32 pm)

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For sure now people will be walking their mail inside to the lobby mail slot. I gave up using the blue box when I heard about the fishing technique to get the mail out of it. People are so creative with being devious instead of coming up with ways to be productive.

Jim September 2, 2025 (3:15 pm)

A couple of Jersey barriers – two on either side pegged down or (more expensively) Four or five steel bollards might keep these antisocials from costing you and me so much money.

KD September 2, 2025 (5:10 pm)

As per Jim’s great suggestion and/or why they don’t do like the drive up one outside of the Burien Post Office in downtown Burien?? It is drive up, and the big lip-chute, but all else is behind a fence that is on the post office interior property. Easy peasy 📪

Sue September 13, 2025 (8:22 am)

This is devastating to me. My rent check was in that mailbox now I have to take the day off work report the stolen money the money orders both to the Postal Service and make a Seattle police report. Take that proof to my landlord to avoid getting evicted and losing my home. This is so sickening and exhausting. I only put my mail in that mailbox because I believed that it was a security situation being directly in front of the post office what a lie of false security🤬🤬🤬