Man lights mailbox on fire because he was mad at post office, deputies say

BRADENTON, Fla. - A man who told deputies he was mad at the post office was caught trying to light a mailbox on fire outside a Bradenton Post Office, according to the Manatee Sheriff's Office.

Around 5 o'clock Wednesday afternoon,  postal customer Jonathon Griggs said he saw 51-year-old Rafiaele Mazzuco cursing at a lighter he was holding because it wasn't working.

He had a balled up piece of paper in his other hand, deputies said. As Griggs was leaving the post office at 115 75th Street W, he said he saw the suspect throwing the now lit piece of paper into the outgoing mailbox before fleeing in a green SUV.

He alerted post office employees, who were able to put the fire out, and got the tag number of the car Mazzucco was driving.

A Sheriff's deputy took Griggs and another witness to the Mancuzzo's home, where both were able to identify him as the suspect. The incident was also captured on surveillance video, deputies said.

After being taken into custody, Mancuzzo admitted that he was mad at the post office for opening his mail, but said he couldn’t understand how he committed a crime because the fire was put out before any damage was done, according to the Sheriff's Office

Deputies found the lighter, some lighter fluid and drug paraphernalia on him at the time of his arrest. He was charged with with arson, resisting arrest and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He currently has no bond pending a judges review.