Post Office theft?

M

mj23kb24

Feedback: +2 / =0 / -0
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Jul 20, 2012
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Hey guys just want to tell you about my most recent experience dealing a trade, I traded for a ZT 0550 ( dont know if this is the right place to post in) and today I received the package. When I looked at the express shipping envelope the top of the envelope was torn and inside the ZT box was open with the knife gone. I had some suspicion since the employee sat in my driveway for around a good 3-4 minutes. There is also no label stating the contents were missing or the package was damaged. What do you guys think?
 
Sounds like your postman has a nice new knife. The worst part is that, unless it was insured, you have no legal recourse. :(
 
Give the local post office a call and report the findings. That sounds incredibly fishy. If they are not responsive on the phone go in and demand to speak to the postmaster. Typically the postmaster can make those disappearing items be 'found' fairly quickly.
 
I called twice to the post office and since it was not insured the only thing they could do was direct me to the website and tell me to fill out a report like that will do anything. Very displeased with the post office. You would think that with my address they could figure out who delivered my package and atleast question them?
 
I'd take the package (envelope, empty box, and anything else it came with) up to the post office where it was last sorted (usually the one for your ZIP code) and inquire there. The package passes through any number of hands before it makes it to you, and any one of the, could have taken it. The fact that the envelope and the box were opened does seem to suggest someone stole the knife. The guy who ultimately delivered it isn't necessarily the thief. He may have just noticed the opened envelope and was checking to see if there were still contents inside.

Unless the sender insured the package, I'm not sure what the odds are of recovery in this situation or what other options for recourse you have. Hope it turns up though.
 
As far as I know, postal routes (down here on Cape Cod) are assigned to a postman or route man. Sometimes when he/she are on vacation/days off, a substitute will deliver the mail. The post office would know who the route person is that day. That person would have to sort the mail for the route before delivering it. Talk to the postmaster and/or ask for the phone number/address of the nearest postal inspector.
 
Thanks flarp guess I never really looked at it that way, I might have to go in and just question them. The only thing is that you would think they would have put a sticker with missing contents on it or something.
 
The people behind the desk probably wont help much, you need a manager or higher than that. I always ship insured, its only a few dollars and worth not having to stress. IMHO, the knife is the senders responsibility until it is in the receivers hands, so if they ship it uninsured it is their gamble. Just make it easy and insure the package, this also stops thefts, the managers get in trouble if they have to pay insurance claims, and this will get them in trouble. Ive heard it said many times, "uninsured is fair game."

Hope this works out for you
 
File a report with your local law enforcement. Couldn't hurt, and might help "motivate" the postmaster.

Hope it all works out for you!
 
Look up the number for the Postal Inspection Service office that services your area and call them directly
Don't ask the postmaster to do it
If you need any help or have any issues shoot me an IM
Express normally includes insurance in the price
 
fatheadhill said:
File a report with your local law enforcement. Couldn't hurt, and might help "motivate" the postmaster.

Hope it all works out for you!
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The postal service is federal jurisdiction, how about we don't waste Law Enforcement resources where he lives.
 
mj23kb24 said:
Thanks flarp guess I never really looked at it that way, I might have to go in and just question them. The only thing is that you would think they would have put a sticker with missing contents on it or something.
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Well, the postman wouldn't know if you ordered just an empty box (I've seen people sell those here, on other forums, and on the big auction/garage sale site, and at surprisingly high costs). So, if he saw a box in the envelope, there's no way for him to know if the was supposed to be a knife as well. That might be why they didn't mark the package as missing contents. At any rate, this sounds like it should be escalated to the postal inspector at your nearest sorting facility. Good luck, and I hope it works out.
 
Yall had me worried, but luckily my knife made it! I kinda expected it to be bigger from how people talk about it on here.
 
I advise to never send anything as valuable as a knife in an envelope. A corrugated box with plenty of tape is the way to mail these. insurance is good too.
 
Yeah but up to a hundred dollars is covered through express shipping so if worst comes to worst then I should receive atleast 100 bucks back.
 
mj23kb24 said:
Hey guys just want to tell you about my most recent experience dealing a trade, I traded for a ZT 0550 ( dont know if this is the right place to post in) and today I received the package. When I looked at the express shipping envelope the top of the envelope was torn and inside the ZT box was open with the knife gone. I had some suspicion since the employee sat in my driveway for around a good 3-4 minutes. There is also no label stating the contents were missing or the package was damaged. What do you guys think?
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Not the right place but I'll move it to FEEDBACK, no problem.

I am a retired Postal Service manager from NYC. This story raises some serious questions. The letter carrier should not be delivering a torn envelope, at least not without trying to speak to the addressee -- and his own supervisor or postmaster.

Messing with Express Mail is generally more difficult than ordinary mail. Express moves through its own faster mailstream. I personally would not ship a knife in any kind of envelope, though. Box it up with plenty of protective packing, and tape the box shut.

Theft is difficult for a local post office to investigate. Postal management is not trained in police work and wouldn't know how to access the legal system if it found theft. I would never have tried, I would call the Postal Inspector assigned to our office. This is what your postmaster should have done.

Go to the USPS website www.usps.com and you will find the Postal Inspector link in the lower right corner -- here it is:
https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/ . Get in touch, explain your problem, let them know what the local post office did and did not do for you.

Stealing from the mail is a Federal crime, prosecuted in Federal court, and can lead to a sentence in a Federal prison. Not to mention loss of career and sometimes of pension.

Let us know what response you get.
 
mj23kb24 said:
Yeah but up to a hundred dollars is covered through express shipping so if worst comes to worst then I should receive atleast 100 bucks back.
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Bladeforums has all kinds of advice and information on proper procedure in the stickies in this FEEDBACK forum. One point many people don't get is this. It is the buyer's responsibility to send payment or a trade item. It is the seller's responsibility to get the item paid or traded for to that buyer.

Insurance is the seller's responsibility, because if the item sent doesn't get to the buyer, the seller has to make it right. If the item is lost, USPS might not pay the insurance claim if the item wasn't properly and securely packaged. The seller still owes you that knife.
 
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