Neighbors on Hilton Head ask mailbox vandal to come forward after latest hit-and-run

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (WTOC) - For the third time in just a few years, neighbors along a busy stretch of road on Hilton Head Island are dealing with damaged mailboxes — and this time, they say they’re being left to cover the costs.

Residents on Murray Avenue say a vehicle drove through and destroyed multiple mailboxes along Squires Pope Road, leaving scattered mail, snapped posts, and mailbox doors thrown several feet from where they were mounted.

“Totally shocked” by the damage

Winifred Pinckney, a longtime Hilton Head resident, said she discovered the damage Saturday when she left for work.

“I was just totally shocked to see the damage that was done,” Pinckney said.

Neighbors said the destruction looked familiar.

“This was about the third time,” Pinckney said. “The last one was a year and a half ago, when it happened. It was a serious accident, and you could see the skid marks and everything.”

In that previous incident, residents said the driver’s insurance helped pay for repairs. This time, neighbors say no one has come forward.

“Now we don’t even know what driver this is or who did it, so it’s on us,” Pinckney said.

Mail disruptions and possible changes ahead

Since Saturday, residents said the immediate area has been cleaned up, but the damage is still affecting day-to-day routines.

Without working mailboxes, neighbors said they’ll have to pick up mail at the post office until replacements are installed — either once the responsible driver is identified or if residents pay out of pocket.

“If the mailboxes are down, we have to go to the post office to pick up our mail because our mail is going to be on hold now until we can get those boxes back up,” Pinckney said.

Pinckney said she is grateful no one was nearby when the vehicle drove through. She also said she has spoken with the postmaster about moving the mailboxes onto Murray Avenue to help prevent similar incidents in the future.

Investigation ongoing

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said the case remains an active investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office. Tipsters can also submit information anonymously through the P3 Tips app.