MELBOURNE, Fla. – Kip Scarlett used to investigate arsons. Now, the former Melbourne Village police officer said he’s a victim of one after someone blew up his mailbox.
“The guy lit something, put it in the mailbox,” Scarlett said. “He stood there waiting for it to go off and it made this gigantic, freaking explosion. It was absolutely huge.”
Scarlett’s garage camera recorded someone lighting the fuse and running away around 11:55 p.m. on Saturday.
Scarlett said he was inside his house with his goldendoodle, and due to the holiday weekend, thought what they heard was just another firework.
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“When we got in the house, a real big one went off,” he said. “I looked over at her and she didn’t respond. She didn’t get scared, so I didn’t get scared. I didn’t go out and look.”
At least he didn’t look until Sunday morning, when Scarlett said what was left of his mailbox was still smoldering.
“I could smell it when I came out the next morning,” he said.
The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office is now investigating.
Scarlett said he thinks he knows who did it and believes he may have been targeted because he worked in law enforcement.
Scarlett said he has no history with this person, though.
“I want everybody to see it,” he said of the destruction. “See what this guy’s capable of. An angry, vindictive person.”
Scarlett said he talked with deputies and postal service police, but USPS told him its leaving the investigation to the sheriff’s office.
We’ll update you if an arrest is made.
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