Through Rain, Sleet Or Snow, The Postal Serice May Steal Your Netflix DVDs
from the that's-a-lot-of-movies dept
Netflix’s (patented) red DVD envelopes are quite distinct and easy to spot in a mailbox. That’s good for marketing purposes… but apparently also good for unscrupulous postal service workers. Apparently, police have arrested one postal worker and are investigating another for over 500 missing Netflix DVDs. Of course, it makes you wonder what these postal workers were thinking. With so many DVDs missing in one particular area, it wouldn’t take a genius to figure out exactly where the problem is occurring.
Comments on “Through Rain, Sleet Or Snow, The Postal Serice May Steal Your Netflix DVDs”
How much for Sleepless in Seattle?
And they’re still raising postage??? Everything’s going home with these guys! 🙂
Re: How much for Sleepless in Seattle?
You still use stamps?
Not master-criminal's here
“Of course, it makes you wonder what these postal workers were thinking.”
Well, it’s not like a postal employment opportunity has exceedingly high intelegence requirements.
Besides, it’s only the ones that get caught that we hear a lot about. And the best way to get caught is to be a moron.
Re: Not master-criminal's here
I live in a “nice” area of town (read over priced) and put my Netflix return disks out for the carrier at my condo. I put three of the red mailers out, and Netflix never recieved them. I contacted Netflix and they were awesome to deal with. They did however ask me for a police report. I contacted the village police, and was told this is a common thing. They police stated they see this happen when people put them in their (rural) mailboxes and when the red mailers are in plain site. I sent the police report to Netflix and quickly was back to enjoying the selection and convience right away. A postal employee that is stealing these disks deserves to spend time in Levenworth, as I believe that mail theft is a federal crime, but I am just a poor dumb country boy.
If the carriers want to steal something, they are welcome to the “Valpack” coupons, the “Gateway” catalogs and any bills they care to pay. I though civil servants were required to behave at a higher standard, but apperently I am wrong.
Should Netflix start using a “plain brown evelope”? It would possibly cut down on theft, but why should a company stop a marketing campaign because idiots can’t stop stealing? I also thought there were/are a lot of cameras around the postal offices, should the cameras have caught everything?
Juts my two cents worth…
No Subject Given
The person who delivers my mail is terrible. I can’t understand how it is difficult to divide the mail up between the 8 mailboxes that correspond to each apartment in my building. Even if the numbers are not there, the names are on the boxes also. Still, I think that she sticks all of the mail in one box (it varies which one) and then lets the residents sort it out.
A couple of times, I have suspected her of taking my netflix dvds when they have not arrived in a timely manner, but they have always arrived eventually (although one was opened once).
At least netflix understands that things like this happen and they offer leniency unless it happens often.
No Subject Given
my guess is they weren’t thinking. if the people were thinkers, they probably wouldn’t be sorting mail. more americans doing more dumb shit. the world turns.
Netflix
It doesn’t help if they take it before you even get it, but I ususally take my Netflix returns to the post office, not so much because of the postal service employees, but because of the kids in the neighborhood. I just don’t see any reason to delay when I will recieve my next shipment of movies because my neighbor’s kid was curious what I had gotten through netflix.
It's Not Always The US Postal Service's Fault
Stealing is uncommon throughout the Postal Service. The Postal Inspector Service does a great job at catching the perps. Next time you’re inside a post office (if you even know where it is) you’ll see up near the ceiling small windows that appear to be blacked out. In most Postal facilities, there is an entrance available only to Postal inspectors, who will monitor employees unannounced.
Mail theft is a Federal crime, and it carries severe penalaties. All employees know this, but there will always be a few who think they can get away with it.
As for the intelligence of employees – sure, like any business – Harvard University for example – some employees are dopes. The majority are hard working, dedicated people who do a very thankless task. Curb your virtual tongue before slamming them. While you’re at work, BSing around the water cooler, they do a job that few want to do, and are now exposed to many of the same dangers cops and firefighters face – hazardous materials. You wouldn’t believe what some bozos send through the mail.
Finally, most mail you receive today is not sorted by the local post office. The USPS uses many regional sorting centers and mail is delivered to the delivery unit all banded and sorted. If there’s an error there, very often it can be traced to a bad address or Zip code. It’s amazing how few people truly know their own Zip code and how many more can’t enter their address on a form.
Full disclosure: I don’t work for the USPS, nor does any member of my family. My company uses the USPS extensively, and in many instances, they are better as a carrier than the high priced carriers like Fedex and UPS. And that’s a documented fact.
Re: It's Not Always The US Postal Service's Fault
I agree. They are remarkable, and provide very efficient and consistent performance with little thanks. I’d also like to note that the recent rate increase was not the result of the USPS being too inefficient, but a Congressional mandate to establish a $3 billion endowment which currently has no identified purpose.
Re: It's Not Always The US Postal Service's Fault
You write,”Mail theft is a Federal crime, and it carries severe penalaties.’
The two postal employees who were caught in Denver got 3 years probation. Not all that severe.
Re: Re: It's Not Always The US Postal Service's Fa
I agree, the Post office does not want the paperwork, time or money spent prosecuting these people. I for one believe that is a crime in itself. I am a dedicated and HONEST Postal Employee that goes to work everyday to support my family.
To Me, there is nothing at the Post Office worth stealing for me to:
A. Lose my source of income
B. Go to Jail for
C. Go to Hell for!
Postman always rings twice
Well from the comments, it appears that there’s a majority of folks that suffer the PO… to bad .. our service here in West Covina is extraordinarly good… from our Postal person