Des Moines Police Investigating East Side Mailbox Explosion

Close-Up Of Mailbox Mounted On Wall

(Des Moines, IA) -- Police in Des Moines are investigating a mailbox explosion on the city's east side this weekend.

Police say they were called to a home in the 2500 block of East 40th Street around 3 a.m. Saturday morning to reports that a mailbox was on fire.

"A real loud shake and a real loud boom. It rattled the curtains. Because I was laying on the couch sleeping," says Jimmy Belloma, owner of the mailbox. "I thought maybe something happened to somebody's house."

Belloma says no one was hurt in the explosion. Police believe powerful fireworks were set off inside the mailbox.

"I'm just not used to something like that happening," says Belloma. "I would hope you would think about it. It's a federal offense and then I have to deal with making sure the mailbox and my mail and the rest of my neighbors' mailboxes [are] safe."

Police are trying to identify a suspect through security camera footage.


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