Used to work in a large Post Office sorting office. There was a post box built into an exterior wall, which was supposed to be emptied for the last time at about 9pm. - very handy for those 'The cheque's in the post!' situations.
During night duties we would watch this box and collect any mail that that fell into it so as to speed it on its way, at any hour.

How public-spirited, I hear you say! But this kindly act was not without a price. If the sharp-eyed postie spotted a punter standing beside the box in the gloom, fumbling with their letter, they'd dive over and grab it out of their hand, sometimes with a sinister cackle.

The poor letter-poster would leap back, usually with a loud swear or two, and the postie would punch the air in silent triumph. Gotcha!
(Juan Quar is clinging to her front teeth on, Thu 4 Apr 2013, 21:37, Reply)