Item stolen out of the mail... how to proceed?

[Sunshine]

Okay, I'm not asking this in TS because I'm having any issues with my seller here... but I just want to make sure that everything is fair and seems to be the "right" way to handle this situation...

I bought a FS pony from a member here. I got it in the mail yesterday, well, I got an empty envelope in the mail that had "Received without contents at Makanda" (my town) written on the front. I looked at the envelope, it wasn't recycled or used or anything, as the addresses were hand written on there, clean and clear and no issues with the writing - nothing about the package was weird, except that one whole SIDE (the long side of a padded envelope) was completely and cleanly open.

At first glance, it looked like the seams of the package had busted open, and I took some pictures of it and sent it to the seller and asked what we should do, and we decided on a refund less shipping... (which, I have not yet gotten but that's fine because they said they had to wait for some stuff, no biggie)...

BUT, when my fiance got home, I showed him the package (because I was bummed! ) and he looked at it and said, "It's been cut, look, look at the thickness of the other side, then look at this side" - and no joke, it had been cut, cleanly and completely off, to open the package and STEAL the contents...

Now, I told the seller this new discovery, but it's still appropriate for me to expect a refund correct? I mean it was stolen obviously BEFORE it got to my local post office, or else I know I could at least go there and yell at them! But... is this situation proceeding correctly?

Thanks!

[kitkatvintage]

That's a really tough call to say what is fair. It's neither your fault, nor your seller's fault if something was stolen out of a properly packed package. If it were sent with insurance, then a claim could be made for the value of the lost contents, but I assume this package was not insured.

Maybe the most fair thing to do would be for you & the seller to split the loss evenly & do a 50% refund... only because neither of you are at fault, so neither should be out the full value.

I would also make a complaint to the post office in person. Maybe print a copy of your Paypal receipt to back up the value of the stolen items.

I'm very sorry this has happened! Stolen mail is no joke.

[Em_L._Pea_Customs]

That's a really tough call to say what is fair. It's neither your fault, nor your seller's fault if something was stolen out of a properly packed package. If it were sent with insurance, then a claim could be made for the value of the lost contents, but I assume this package was not insured.

Maybe the most fair thing to do would be for you & the seller to split the loss evenly & do a 50% refund... only because neither of you are at fault, so neither should be out the full value.

I would also make a complaint to the post office in person. Maybe print a copy of your Paypal receipt to back up the value of the stolen items.

I'm very sorry this has happened! Stolen mail is no joke.

kitkat couldn't have said it any better!  50% refund and try to see if you can take this up with your PO.  Good luck!

[MidnightMocha]

Money has been refunded hun, so don't worry about going halvsies. It's done, I'm leaving the country, let's just leave it at that.

I'm really sad though, because I loved that B/W Pinkie that I sold you but decided she'd fit better in someone else's collection so I was happy to see her move on, but now I don't know where she is at all! I hope, HOPE that she's in a child's hands at the very least. Not with some greedy, thieving collector.

[Sunshine]

Yes - Mocha was my seller and like I said, it had nothing to do with her as to why I wanted to ask about this - just wondering how to deal with things being blantantly stolen! It's awful! - I could't say it better myself though, I really do hope at least someone stole it and gave it to a child, and not some collector or someone going to flip it on eBay for a quick profit...

Would it be a postal worker that probably did this then? I mean no one else should have access to the packages after it got sent... If you can't trust the people delivering your mail... ugh, I mean, talk about just ANOTHER reason the USPS is having so many issues...

But Mocha, thank you for everything and I'm so sorry I couldn't give Pinkie the home I wanted to! I wish you all the best in medical school too!

[Dewprincess]

Was she sent priority?  Usually when I send priority, the post office automatically puts insurance on it for up to $50...

[MidnightMocha]

Was she sent priority?  Usually when I send priority, the post office automatically puts insurance on it for up to $50...

As far as I remember, I did send her priority, as I do with all of my packages along with tracking.

[Dewprincess]

I would check with the post office then, as you may be able to get money back for her!

[Radha]

I would also file a case with the post office if you are willing.  I filed one over a missing package.  The automated system is ridiculous- just call the hotline and right at the start press 0 a lot- there system is still old enough that works! (or did 2 months ago)

I think you might be right- it would seem that a P.O. worker somewhere had to be the one to take it.  Filing a stolen claim might at least let them know, and if other items have been going missing... Perhaps you could also get some of the value back, even without insurance, since the item was stolen rather than damaged.   

[Sunshine]

Mocha, hun, I know you are leaving for school - so I'll see what I can do at my local PO about any sort of stolen-type-of-claim or anything like that... I talked briefly to the post delivery person today and they are not... the brightest crayon in the box... and they had no information for me other than "try to talk to the postlady" (aka, the woman who works the actual office in town)... so, I can't do that until sometime next week... but I do still have the package. It wasn't shipped Priority, but it was shipped First Class with tracking...

Whoops - forgot to mention, if I do get anywhere or they have some sort of claim and I get any reimbursement, I will obviously send it along to you since you have refunded me! Will keep you updated when I have a chance to get there!

[nhal039]

That's a really tough call to say what is fair. It's neither your fault, nor your seller's fault if something was stolen out of a properly packed package. If it were sent with insurance, then a claim could be made for the value of the lost contents, but I assume this package was not insured.

Maybe the most fair thing to do would be for you & the seller to split the loss evenly & do a 50% refund... only because neither of you are at fault, so neither should be out the full value.

I would also make a complaint to the post office in person. Maybe print a copy of your Paypal receipt to back up the value of the stolen items.

I'm very sorry this has happened! Stolen mail is no joke.

totally agree, what a crap situation when neither of you did anything wrong. Sorry that this happened to you and the seller

[MidnightMocha]

Don't worry about it, Sunshine! I wish there was more I could do but we just ran out of time Either way, I just hope this never happens to you or anyone else again.

[ponylady]

Mocha that was super nice of you to refund the total cost. I am sorry the two of you had to go through this though.

Sunshine if it was indeed sent Priority I would definitely file a report. It should be on record none the less with the PO so it will hopefully prevent it from happening to you or anyone else again.  Here is the link to do it online:

https://www.usps.com/ship/file-domestic-claims.htm

[Sunshine]

It was First Class unfortunately, but I'm going to see if I have some spare time Monday or Tuesday this week to take the actual envelope down to the post office and just see if they can tell me anything. Because it ended up at my post office already opened like this, my feeling is that my local PO will not be able to tell me much of anything... it's SUCH a small branch, I mean, they don't even have the updated versions of the customs forms and things like that (I have to go to our next large-town post office to get my forms!) so, I always wonder if they /truly/ know what's going on...

But I have the tracking info too, if I can find out where it was between Mocha shipping it out and it getting here (like where all it stopped), perhaps I can find some way to report it directly to that post office or sorting center?

All I can think is... it's like, someone working in one of those HUGE sorting postal places... and they've got access to so many packages... just think of what else could be stolen? I wonder how well they are able to crack down on that kind of thing in house... Like, technically, that person could be fired already for all I know, but it won't help me or Mocha get Pinkie back!