USPS customers stunned to find mailbox wrapped in plastic after checks vanish – now they face extra step at post office
Share this @internewscast.com

USPS customers have been left scratching their heads after finding a post office mailbox wrapped in plastic.

The top of the USPS box was completely covered, leaving customers unable to drop their letters inside for delivery.

USPS mailbox wrapped in plastic.
The big blue USPS mailbox in Houston was found covered in plastic, preventing anyone from using itCredit: KHOU-TV
A man with a long gray beard speaks from inside a car.
Residents were frustrated, questioning why USPS allowed a compromised mailbox to remain in serviceCredit: KHOU-TV
USPS mailbox wrapped in plastic.
One of the residents discovered that at least one of the stolen checks, worth over $13,000, had been fraudulently cashedCredit: KHOU-TV
USPS Post Office sign partially obscured by branches.
After reporting the theft, postal employees allegedly told the resident the box had been targeted by thieves beforeCredit: KHOU-TV

The mailbox is located outside the Oak Forest Post Office on Judiway Street in north Houston, Texas.

“People can’t drive up and mail their letter,” resident Ricky Walschburger told CBS local affiliate KHOU of the odd sight.

“They have to go out and go inside to use the mailbox. It’s a big inconvenience.”

The box was later unwrapped but not before confusion and frustration spread through the community.

One resident, who didn’t want to be identified, was left wondering if the wrapped box had anything to do with recent mail theft.

She said a recent headache with USPS cost her thousands.

The woman said she dropped off multiple checks in the mailbox earlier this month.

“It had all the decals, it still had the pickup time listed, and there was no indication that it wasn’t working,” she said of the mailbox.

Days later, she learned the checks were never delivered.

And to make matters worse, she said at least one of the checks, worth over $13,000, had been fraudulently cashed.

Final days before USPS changes go into effect with new delivery times – it’ll take longer to get certain types of mail

“They did their best to make it look like my handwriting,” she told KHOU of the signature on the checks.

“That was a little disturbing to see.”

She had used the box to mail company checks on her way home, assuming it was secure.

When she reported the theft, postal employees reportedly told her the box had been targeted by thieves before.

USPS Statement

Here’s what USPS said about the Oak Forest collection box:

The Postal Service is committed to ensuring the security of mail and the receptacles where customers deposit it, such as collection boxes. We can confirm that the collection box at the Oak Forest Post Office in Houston, TX, is intact and operational.

Customers can deposit mail in the box at this time. 

Though the box was temporarily out of service, it has been restored and is now fully operational. Customers wishing to ensure added security for their mail can also use the lobby drop box at the Oak Forest Station.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused. If anyone suspects mail theft, please contact the Postal Inspection Service at 877-876-2455 or visit www.USPIS.gov/report for assistance.

She said workers at the Oak Forest post office even found a pile of undelivered mail still inside the mailbox when they opened it up.

“I was basically informed that’s a nonfunctioning mailbox,” she said.

“What sense does it make to have a mailbox outside the post office that isn’t functioning? It’s extremely confusing.”

USPS was forced to apologize but didn’t elaborate on why the mailbox was wrapped in plastic.

The agency also didn’t say how long the box was out of service.

“The Postal Service takes the security of the mail very seriously, including receptacles where customers deposit mail, such as collection boxes,” USPS said in a statement.

It added that the mailbox was “inadvertently out of service for a short time” but is now fully operational.

The agency urged customers to use lobby drop boxes or hand mail directly to an employee at the counter for added security.

It also advised customers mailing large checks to consider using secure money transfer applications instead.

USPS mess-ups

The United States Postal Service is facing customer complaints as the mail agency struggles to stay afloat admit workforce cuts and financial loss.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Adventure YouTuber with an interest in the Taliban rows 25 miles in a dinghy to present the world’s most dangerous tribe with a coconut and a Coke

A TALIBAN-LOVING YouTuber rowed 25 miles in a dinghy to bizarrely offer…

Germans are SURPRISED by a Habit Common among Brits and Americans in Restaurants and Public Transport

Expats working in Germany have shared a common perception among Germans on how…

Washington resident apprehended for taking former girlfriend’s chicken

() — A man in Washington was detained on Saturday for reportedly…

Alyssa Milano’s Stunning Look in ‘Fear’ Captivates Fans, Sparking a Surge in Movie Views

Alyssa Milano’s role in the 1996 psychological thriller Fear is having an…

Joanne Sharkey Sentencing: Mother Who Killed Her Newborn in 1998 and Left the Body in the Woods Escapes Jail Time as Judge Cites Need for Compassion

A mother who suffocated her newborn baby and left his body in…

‘Zootopia 2’ Delights CinemaCon with Ke Huy Quan Introducing Scenes of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde in Therapy with Dr. Fuzzby, Played by Quinta Brunson

Plucky bunny cop Judy Hopps and her erstwhile foil, now partner, fox…

Enjoy a Beach Getaway During Dover Race Weekend

DOVER, Del. — This summer, NASCAR enthusiasts attending the July 18-20 tripleheader…

Teen Faces Jail Time After Fatal Crash That Killed 17-Year-Old Girlfriend and Injured His Back

A teenage driver who killed his ‘beautiful’ girlfriend in a crash along…

Wall Street Shaken as Major Stocks Tumble at Opening, Trillions Lost from Economy and 401(k)s Impacted

Stock markets plunged Thursday after President Donald Trump’s historic tariff announcement, sparking…

The Documentary ‘The Track’ on Sarajevo Luger Travels from Bosnia to Film Festivals in San Francisco and Toronto

EXCLUSIVE: Ryan Sidhoo’s documentary The Track has lined up its next two…

Trump Dismisses National Security Staff Amid Pentagon Investigation of Group Chat Error Leading to War Plans Exposure

PRESIDENT Donald Trump has fired several White House National Security Council officials…

NBC Unveils All-Star Joan Rivers Tribute Featuring Aubrey Plaza, Nikki Glaser, Tiffany Haddish & More

More than a decade after her death, Joan Rivers‘ influence is still…