OXFORD – Police seek to halt annual, spring mailbox bashing and are out to catch the individuals who smashed about 20 of them recently.

Oxford Police Sgt. Theron Bickford said they are determined and are offering a $100 reward for information leading to the conviction of anyone responsible for the vandalism.

“We have the bat used to smash the mailboxes,” Bickford said. “After they used it, we found it in parking lot of the American Legion on King Street.”

He said most of the boxes damaged were on King Street.

“The evidence is being processed for printable material,” Bickford said.

Lt. Jon Tibbetts said sometime late May 10 to early May 11 about 20 people living on either King Street, Skeetfield Road or Coldwater Brook Road had their mailboxes ruined by bat-swinging vandals.

Tibbetts said he was upset that mailbox smashing happens every spring and upset about the lack of respect it shows for others’ property.

Tibbetts said the vandals could be charged with up to 20 counts of criminal mischief. He said the charges could be Class D or elevated to Class C, depending on the value of the mailboxes.

He said the penalty for a Class D crime would be a fine and restitution. A Class C crime could bring a sentence of up to 5 years in jail and restitution.

Tibbetts asked that anyone with information call the Oxford Police at 539-4414.

jsmedley@sunjournal.com