Mailbox hit-and-run in Cape Coral

A Cape Coral homeowner is upset after a car smashed against his pricey mermaid mailbox and fled the scene.

A white Mercedes G-Wagon was caught on surveillance video smashing against the mailbox and then driving off without a second thought.

It happened on Southwest 54th terrace, last week. Police are currently searching for the driver.

Don Vun Cannon’s mailbox isn’t your average mailbox.

“We wanted something extravagant because we had the ugliest one on the street,” Vun Cannon said.

He and his wife Mary searched for months to find the right mailbox when they moved to Cape Coral from North Carolina in 2018.

“When we found this guy at the boat show that hand makes these mailboxes, it was the right one for us. She loves mermaids,” Vun Cannon said.

The couple paid $800 for it, plus the cost of installation.

“It was extravagant, but it made us happy,” Vun Cannon said.

It’s more than a mailbox to Vun Cannon and his wife. It’s a symbol of the coastal oasis they have worked hard to build since moving here.

“We wanted the coastal theme,” Vun Cannon said.

So, when his neighbor texted him last Thursday, saying his security cameras caught someone running it over, Vun Cannon was floored.

“A lady came flying down the street, hit the mailbox, but she just kept going,” Vun Cannon said.

His neighbor Barb Lafara ran outside as the car sped off.

“I heard a loud noise, sort of a bang,” Lafara said, “and the person just drove off. They didn’t stop. They haven’t come back. They didn’t leave a note.”

The cameras show what appears to be a woman with short hair driving the Mercedes G-wagon. Vun Cannon has filed a report with police, but he’s hoping the person will come clean on their own.

“I think this person, if they can afford to drive 100,000-plus-dollar car, they could afford to knock on my door and fess up for what they did,” Vun Cannon said.

If you recognize the vehicle or have any information, call Cape Coral police.