Is there anything I can do? (post office package rummaged through and stuff stolen)

[CathrynRose]

I travel A LOT for my job. What I have learned is the following - and I mean this kindly ( I know sometimes it doesn't translate with reading just the words) - DO NOT travel with anything you wouldn't be ok losing. The jersey, the expensive perfume, the flat iron, anything sentimental.....if you are not ok with never seeing it again - take something else. Grab some perfume samples at the mall; bring old towels; same with make up and lip glosses (I once lost $$$ with that - Chanel, Philosophy, etc) - now I take my "travel" stuff with me and bring clothing/shoes that are not necessarily my favorites, but if I never saw it again wouldn't devastate me. Sorry for your loss.

You're right. It's one of the reasons I shipped stuff there, and back - attempting to avoid this exact thing happening with the airline baggage folks.

The 3 fragrances - were purchased there. And being large, I couldn't carry on. The Jersey - Danny wears it a lot, so he took it with, he always does. I made the mistake of packing dirty clothes, not thinking anyone would (YUCK!) rummage through them for what they wanted.

All my makeup - I actually carry on.

The towels - what 'fun' is it to have Vintage cool Mickey towels your Mom had, if you can't use them at Disney - y'know?

I know you're right. Im just upset, and can't really believe someone would go and cut open someone's package, rummage through it, and help themselves. It's incredibly disturbing to me.

On a side note - with the panties. After CAREFULLY going through the box (My Coffee Press, which was rolled in one of the stolen beach towels and TAPED so it stayed secure, was broken. They were kind enough to put the shards of glass back into the box. ) I realized I did have -some- panties. Apparently the theif postal worker doesn't like the black 'granny panty' type - so I have my 2 of those, but any 'cute' undies, are gone.

They went through each and every item of my clothing, down to my panties.

 

[DWGal210]

I'm so sorry for you. And from reading everyone else's stories, it seems that it just is my post office that isn't doing their job.

I live in a condo building and I get wrong mail ALL THE TIME. I can understand if it's the next unit number or something, since our condo mailboxes open from the top. I can see making a mistake a putting a letter for Unit 3 into Unit 4, for example.

But what boggles my mind is that I will get mail for another woman, in a whole other building (that is literally on the other side of the condo complex), in a different unit number. Yes, our last names are the same, but it's a very very common last name (think Smith). And our last names are literally the only thing that's the same about our addresses. Sometimes I even get letters that her son sends her from Iraq. Thankfully I take them to her when I get them, or else she might miss those precious letters.

I've called my post office and explained to them, kindly, what is going on - but it continues to happen.

 

[MIGrandma]

I'm very sorry about all the things that were stolen from you, but I'm assuming you flew to WDW and back?

When DH and I fly, my souvenirs and valuables that I wouldn't want stolen from checked luggage all go in my carry-on. Many times I haven't had anything in my carryon except souvenirs and valuables. Dirty clothes they can have, so I put those all in checked luggage. But anything I value stays with me.

 

[wdwfan16]

We just got back from Disney a couple weeks ago.

I normally ship my package via UPS from the front desk. My ex husband was visiting the boys, and offered to ship my box for me. Great!

He shipped it... through USPS...no insurance, no tracking, parcel post, at that. Thanks for the favor.

My box finally arrived today - with little to nothing in it. It has a small stamp on it which says 'damaged in shipping' however it wasnt damaged - it was cut open, and retaped.

I am now missing my mom's beach towels (she bought these at Disney 10+ years ago, and she's dead...I'm sad about this) 1 bottle of Laila, 2 bottles of Geir, a pair of Birkenstocks, ALL my dirty clothes, $66 Shampoo and Conditioner I bought at the Swan, 2 refillable mugs... I cant even think of it all.


Let's put it this way - all I have are one coffee press, broken with glass everywhere (it was in the middle of my box, when shipped out, so it's probably broken after being removed from the rolled up beach towel they stole.

Im so angry with my ex husband.

ANy help is appreicated.

The only thing you can do is report the theft. Other than that you have not recourse.

 

[CathrynRose]

I'm very sorry about all the things that were stolen from you, but I'm assuming you flew to WDW and back?

When DH and I fly, my souvenirs and valuables that I wouldn't want stolen from checked luggage all go in my carry-on. Many times I haven't had anything in my carryon except souvenirs and valuables. Dirty clothes they can have, so I put those all in checked luggage. But anything I value stays with me.

Yes - I flew.

I also don't like to check luggage (hence the shipping of the box).

But the perfumes were too large to 'carry on' and I just never had a problem before shipping things. I just stuffed anything extra into the box - not thinking it would be an issue.

I came home with items of 'value' in my carry on. I just didn't think that anything in the box would end up gone. Dumb, I guess. Blah.

 

[Imzadi]

I travel A LOT for my job. What I have learned is the following - and I mean this kindly ( I know sometimes it doesn't translate with reading just the words) - DO NOT travel with anything you wouldn't be ok losing. The jersey, the expensive perfume, the flat iron, anything sentimental.....if you are not ok with never seeing it again - take something else. Grab some perfume samples at the mall; bring old towels; same with make up and lip glosses (I once lost $$$ with that - Chanel, Philosophy, etc) - now I take my "travel" stuff with me and bring clothing/shoes that are not necessarily my favorites, but if I never saw it again wouldn't devastate me. Sorry for your loss.

Yes, after the Sully Sullenberg flight that landed in the Hudson River, it taught me you really can't depend that your carry-on luggage will be safe either. For some reason, you may be ordered to disembark a plane and have to leave your carry-on. (Say, the cabin starts smoking before take off.) By the time you are reunited with your luggage later, it could also have been rummaged through before it gets to you.

This past trip was the first time I put all my makeup in those little Sephora jars and took my old "backup" laptop even though I really needed the speed of my regular laptop on the trip. Now, I have to install and configure all the software from the seminar onto my regular laptop, but at least, this baby was safe all this time.

As it turned out, I was separated from my carry-on. I had to take a connecting flight between airports and it was a small commuter plane of about 100 passengers. The cabin was really too small for roller carry-ons. So they took my bag to put underneath. I had no choice in the matter. While there really wasn't time for someone to rummage through the bags, conceivably, a problem could have arisen, (that same smoke in the cabin,) and we'd be shuffled back to the airport while all our carry-ons met up with us later on a different plane, (and been rummaged through in the interim.)

 

[disneyfav4ever]

You know how bad I feel for you.

 

[manning]

That's government attitude for you. They know nothing is going to be done and don't care. I saw off a relative on Amtrak once and those people moved like slow motion robots. And we want more of it??

Good luck on your efforts!!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

And if you're trying to make a list, I remember two more things that got stolen that you haven't mentioned here yet. Moleskins and glow cubes.

 

[EthansMom]

Sorry to hear about that!

I'd advise you to check your luggage but on our last trip, one of our bags was opened and someone reset our combination and then locked the bag and the other had both the airline and ME tags removed and then was opened and the screws on the handle loosened (amazed that we even got that bag!). I was . But what's the good in complaining. Not like we were out anything... our bags did eventually reach us and nothing was stolen.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I wish there was something with the post office--but they pretty much are hands off.

We sent some pretty cool souvenirs home from France one time and let's just say the perfectly box cuttered section of my box that had my address that we finally received after about 3 months--felt much like getting a ransom note.

I went ot the post office--and there is no way I would have gotten that much if the box hadn't gotten to the states in tact.

It just sucks--but there are criminals in the USPS who just pilfer and break crap with no recourse on our end unless the items were insured.

It's enough to make you spit nails sometimes.

Maybe Disney can help you out--but the USPS just sucks when it comes to that.

 

[NotUrsula]

It actually sounds like the box somehow ended up in an unclaimed warehouse for a while, and was then put back into the system -- as if the items had been put in a remainder sale. The time limit makes that seem really unlikely, however.

Anyway, I think that you might have some recourse on the perfume, at least, if you purchased it with a credit card. Fill out the theft report and then file a copy with your credit card -- the loss/damage coverage usually will reimburse for things that are new. I'm not sure if there will be an exception for liquids, but it can't hurt to ask.

One thing that I have learned never to do is to ship (or pack in a checked bag) anything that is in a condition that makes it suitable for returning to a store. Thieves target that -- if the outline of paper tags or cardboard boxes show up in the x-ray, they are going to go looking. Get rid of tags and original packaging before you travel.

Also, on the subject of being forced to gate-check a laptop: nope, not doing it. They can take the case, but the laptop itself is going on board in my hands. I also use a string wallet when I fly; it stays across my chest at all times. If there is an emergency evacuation, I'll put it under my shirt. I would leave a laptop behind in a crash, but not my wallet and backup flash drive.

 

[CathrynRose]

I wish there was something with the post office--but they pretty much are hands off.

We sent some pretty cool souvenirs home from France one time and let's just say the perfectly box cuttered section of my box that had my address that we finally received after about 3 months--felt much like getting a ransom note.

I went ot the post office--and there is no way I would have gotten that much if the box hadn't gotten to the states in tact.

It just sucks--but there are criminals in the USPS who just pilfer and break crap with no recourse on our end unless the items were insured.

It's enough to make you spit nails sometimes.

Maybe Disney can help you out--but the USPS just sucks when it comes to that.

UGH! That sucks!

I don't feel comfortable contactig Disney about it. They didn't have anything to do with it, KWIM? It wasn't shipped from there, at all.

I should have taken the box up to the front desk, but when my ex showed up to spend the last day we were in Florida, with the boys - and I said "I gotta take this to the front desk, and UPS it, first", he said "I can ship that for you" I was like "Cool!" I was being lazy. I didn't feel like dragging it to the front desk....waiting in line..... I wanted to get moving on my last park day, y'know?

I should have just done it myself. Blah!

It actually sounds like the box somehow ended up in an unclaimed warehouse for a while, and was then put back into the system -- as if the items had been put in a remainder sale. The time limit makes that seem really unlikely, however.

Anyway, I think that you might have some recourse on the perfume, at least, if you purchased it with a credit card. Fill out the theft report and then file a copy with your credit card -- the loss/damage coverage usually will reimburse for things that are new. I'm not sure if there will be an exception for liquids, but it can't hurt to ask.

One thing that I have learned never to do is to ship (or pack in a checked bag) anything that is in a condition that makes it suitable for returning to a store. Thieves target that -- if the outline of paper tags or cardboard boxes show up in the x-ray, they are going to go looking. Get rid of tags and original packaging before you travel.

Also, on the subject of being forced to gate-check a laptop: nope, not doing it. They can take the case, but the laptop itself is going on board in my hands. I also use a string wallet when I fly; it stays across my chest at all times. If there is an emergency evacuation, I'll put it under my shirt. I would leave a laptop behind in a crash, but not my wallet and backup flash drive.

That is an interesting suggestion. I am going to look into it. It's worth a shot. Thank you.

I just never had any problems shipping. I have been doing this for years, a couple times a year. I can just bring a little carry on - and I time my box to get there, the day I check in (via UPS). Heck - I flew Southwest this trip....has nothing to do with baggage fees. Just easier.

The whole problem lies within - well, 2 things - the USPS being theives, and my ex husband not shipping it UPS, like I told him - actually 3 things... I should have done it myself.

 

[CathrynRose]

The only thing I'm thinking about is how sick my son and I got, those last few days...rummaging through dirty, sick people clothes.

I hope they enjoy their chest cold.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

The only thing I'm thinking about is how sick my son and I got, those last few days...rummaging through dirty, sick people clothes.

I hope they enjoy their chest cold.

You were sick?

I know your son was, and that he felt bad at dinner that one night, but I don't remember you feeling bad.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

The only thing I'm thinking about is how sick my son and I got, those last few days...rummaging through dirty, sick people clothes.

I hope they enjoy their chest cold.

There's revenge for ya.


Sorry it happened--

I had some cool prints I had bought for my mom in England at a flea market in Greenwich in that box and my husband had a cool souvenir coin set as well. Had some other things as well.

Still mad thinking about it.

We swore we would never ship souvenirs again.

Originally we thought it was a problem with the French Postal System--but I actually knew the post office worker I spoke with from church and without postage, I would have never gotten my address shipped to me from overseas.

B/c everyone wants a souvenir of their address label from their souvenir box--screw the souvenirs, right?

 

[CathrynRose]

You were sick?

I know your son was, and that he felt bad at dinner that one night, but I don't remember you feeling bad.

Yeah - I got it a couple days after him....liiiike 2 days or so, before we left, maybe?

That one day... I think ...lemme think....I could probably go through the texts, but I think you had that party, and we were both at Epcot? Saturday. I left - I left the boys on their own, and went back to the room. I felt terrible.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Yeah - I got it a couple days after him....liiiike 2 days or so, before we left, maybe?

That one day... I think ...lemme think....I could probably go through the texts, but I think you had that party, and we were both at Epcot? Saturday. I left - I left the boys on their own, and went back to the room. I felt terrible.

I think I remember you saying that. That was Saturday. It was really hot that day. If I hadn't had PFTS that night, I would've probably ended up back at the hotel too. That you took the boat back to Future World, and left.

I thought of a way you could replace some of the items. Take another trip immediatly!

 

[CathrynRose]

B/c everyone wants a souvenir of their address label from their souvenir box--screw the souvenirs, right?

Of course!! I know that's all I wanted back.

 

[Wishing on a star]

About theives, and the dirty clothes and underwear...

I know somebody whose house was robbed, and they absolutely cleaned them out... dirty underwear and all!!!! They even took the tupperware out of her fridge, with all of the food!!!