USPS postal thefts, probably inside the Jersey City Distribution Center
dcarr
Posts: 8,629 ✭✭✭✭✭
I recently sent about 100 packages to all parts of the country. It has been reported to me by two different recipients that the stiff cardboard envelopes enclosing their items was carefully torn open and the contents removed. Both packages were sent to addresses in Pennsylvania. No other locations around the country have reported anything like this to me. It is obviously suspicious.
I tracked both and found that they have only one thing in common that is not shared by all the other packages:
the USPS Jersey City NJ Distribution Center.
The contents of both shipments was identical. Both were sent with Signature Confirmation (but no insurance).
Each order had five items:
"1945" (Broken Sword) Peace over-strike:
"1979-P" (Large) Eisenhower copper-nickel clad over-strike:
"1979-P" (Large) Eisenhower 40% silver clad over-strike:
"1979-P" (small) Eisenhower copper-nickel clad over-strike (on Susan B Anthony $):
"1979-P" (small) Eisenhower brass-alloy over-strike (on Sacagawea/President $):
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Please be aware of this and report any suspicious activity.
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Comments
Great looking coins !
Sorry to hear this @dcarr
I am relieved to see the orders did not include the $5 Native American restrike. I hope they try and find the people doing this.
Mine came in last Saturday and your work continues to amaze me. Just outstanding.
Successful BST with drddm, BustDMs, Pnies20, lkeigwin, pursuitofliberty, Bullsitter, felinfoel, SPalladino
$5 Type Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/type-sets/half-eagle-type-set-circulation-strikes-1795-1929/album/344192
CBH Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/everyman-collections/everyman-half-dollars/everyman-capped-bust-half-dollars-1807-1839/album/345572
ouch, at least they are not common raw Morgans that could never be found
Have you contacted the USPS Postal Inspectors? This sounds like a case that could be solved if another package (specially prepared) that looks just like the ones that were tampered with could be tracked by that service when it arrives at that distribution center.
Was there anything about the package that made a thief say to himdelf, I want what's inside?
Do you feel that 'Signature Confirmation' could draw the attention of would be thieves?
It dosnt matter, I have had numerous packages stolen going out and incoming including from PCGS. They know they have thieves in the distribution center locally, but can pin em down . I was told that from the post master himself. So, now I dont send anything more than a few bucks USPS. And NGC and PCGS accounts have been switched to other private carriers.
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
Very interesting and good to know. Thanks for the heads up!
Collector
75 Positive BST transactions buying and selling with 45 members and counting!
instagram.com/klnumismatics
The USPS needs to be broken up and sold to the highest private carrier bidder.... Problem solved! Any questions?
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
BTW: I was on line at my local post office yesterday, mailing some stuff to one of you guys for only an hour and 5 minutes!!! 😤 🤬 😡
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
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Maybe. Also the packages had older vintage stamps on them.
I don't like tape (I hate opening packages from "tape-happy" shippers).
But a potential remedy is to tape all the edges of the cardboard flats that I ship.
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Very sorry to hear of this Dan @dcarr Terrible news. Will keep my eyes open, but doubt they made it out here.
As for the comments about the USPS, despite a few bad apples and an occasional hiccup along the way, I'm glad we still have a USPS. I can't imagine all the situational issues if we privatized that service. Plus, despite the fact they aren't open on Saturdays here, I have one of the best PO's on the West Coast. Just ahead of the one I used by my office in CA. My 2c ... YMMV
“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
Todd - BHNC #242
That ike is twisted man !
Yeah probably best to ditch the old stamp postage trick. Or any identifiers. On big value items you might even reuse a dummy box that was some low value thing nobody would care about. And even your return address name. You and a lot of people are a bit infamous. I would say stick an air pod in there but i guess the packages are actually being delivered, just no items.
I'd like to see the post office turned into a place we go pick up our things. More hardened and difficult to steal from. And not involved in elections in any way.
The last time I commented in a thread dealing with thievery, I was warned by a moderator that i could be banned. I suspect the thieves have special privileges around here.
As always, I have questions.
How does having a private carrier solve any of these issues?
Are UPS/FedEx/DHL/OnTrac/etc any more reliable, or just more expensive?
Does theft and incompetence stop once a giant corporation cuts costs to the bones and jacks up rates to increase profit?
What happens to the cost of postage for anyone living even a little bit away from a distribution center, particularly in small rural communities?
I lost a package at the Jersey distribution center last month.
Edit: an employee of USPS told me to use a child’s handwriting somewhere on the package that says “I love you, daddy”, or “Happy Birthday”.
I ask sellers to send me a photo of the package, I send them a photo with tracking.
I use neon envelopes and tape to identify at sight.
I live in a non-contiguous part of the Zip Code—carriers tell me the problem is that the route is grueling.
Dan,
Sorry to hear of the theft/missing coins. You may dislike all that taping, but someone suggested in an earlier thread of placing the coins is a smaller padded envelope and taping securely inside the USPS box as well as the outer box. I bought some coins from a dealer and they also followed this practice. Yes a pain getting the coins but it definitely prevents quick theft when someone opens the box and cannot rip out the inner package. I'm guessing any USPS theft in the PO needs to be done quickly and surreptitiously to avoid detection.
Given the amount of theft at FedEx and UPS, you haven't solved any problem.
No private carrier would ever bid on the USPS mission. None. Ever.
Exactly. Try to mail a birthday card to Iowa using FedEx. You won't be able to do it for 73 cents.
Yup! What do you do with all the rural routes no one wants? Tell those folks too bad, you won't be getting mail any longer unless you are willing to go to the nearest FedEx or UPS location to fetch it?
Oh, and now it's going to be costing you $10 to send a letter, because postage rates are now set by the highest PRIVATE carrier bidder? Sounds great. Why didn't anyone else ever think of it? 😀
The private guys have already skimmed off a lot of the service that can be performed at a profit and at a reasonable price. They didn't need to bid for the USPS franchise to do that.
The USPS' problem, aside from problem employees that any large organization has to deal with, is legacy benefits that will have to be paid by the government regardless, and unprofitable service mandates that Congress, and its constituents, will never give up.
Good luck getting any private enterprise to have any interest in taking that on. For free, let alone the "highest bidder."
I had two USPS Priority packages disappear in December. It’s a real shame what is going on in our world today.
It would seem like no company would want to do many of the rural routes because of cost and expenses, but Amazon is actually the number two deliverer of packages in the US if my sources are correct, and I would not be surprised if Amazon would be interested in controlling all mail delivery if they were given the opportunity. I am not saying they would take it, but it might be far more lucrative than may seem to many. They would control what people send and receive, and would be in a position to give Amazon Prime to all people in the US as customers. It could be a multi-trillion dollar business.Every customer would get ads from Amazon for other services, including prescriptions, car rental, Prime video, etc. It would almost be a dream come true for them.
Yes, my question is "Were you serious?" Whatever problem might be solved would be more than offset by the creation of new ones.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
You guys crack me up! Nothing is 100%. It's an imperfect world out there.
The United States Post Office only lost $6.5 billion dollars last year. That's billion with a B! Gone $$ out the door with zero accountability!!! Government inefficiency at it's finest! Are you going to tell me nothing can be done or improved?? I don't wanta hear what you can't do, (those people should be fired on the spot!) tell me what you can do! If you're not apart of the solution, you're apart of the problem! Stby gentlemen, more to follow.
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
Have any of you lost or had stolen a package sent by Registered Mail? With the signature chain of custody, I'd think it would be easy to find the culprit.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
None of that has to do with your post that generated those responses. If you hadn’t included “Problem solved!” the replies would have been different.
@OAKSTAR said:
“The USPS needs to be broken up and sold to the highest private carrier bidder.... Problem solved! Any questions?”
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
So I guess I should have been generic and not so specific. But you got my point.
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
I and we got your point. But no carrier is without problems.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
The USPS did not lose any money last year and has never lost money. It's not a for profit business, it's a service that we as a society have agreed to fund. It always has been. That may change but for now that's how it is.
How much money did the US military lose last year? Or, if you prefer something more local, how much money did various police departments lose last year? The answer is also none because they are also services, not businesses.
Years ago, working for the Post Office was considered a decent paying blue collar job. They need to make the job position more valuable again as an incentive not to lose the job, at least more than a quick score from thievery.
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This thread is probably going to go poof!! but @lermish is correct.
“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
Todd - BHNC #242
These thefts -- which seemed to spike and soar once Covid hit and online buying soared -- need to be stopped.
Not sure where local police and the FBI are, but these aren't criminal masterminds...they're most likely lowlifes as the companies and USPS have had to scratch the bottom of the barrel for PT and FT workers the last 5 years.
A couple of stings and surveillance jobs should provide powerful deterrence to anybody doing this regularly or even every now and then. They are CLEARLY able to ascertain what packages have valuables in them by looking at the addresses.
This problem isn't particular to the USPS though it seems worse with them. It's also at FedX (big from what I read) and UPS (less so).
Remember, FedX and UPS often rely on the USPS for last-mile delivery.
Doing that will only make the situation worse. Be careful what you wish for.
Pete
I always liked that little riddle : if pro is the opposite of con what is the opposite of progress ? There is no fixing a fixed system.
Does collectors insurance cover shipping?
Successful card BST transactions with cbcnow, brogurt, gstarling, Bravesfan 007, and rajah 424.
It's not about making a profit. It's about getting your money's worth for the services provided.
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
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As others have said, careful what you wish for. Dropping a letter in the mail, and having it show up any listed address, anywhere in the US for .73 is about the best value going. And Ground Advantage with built-in or added on insurance for small value merchandise can't really be be beat either.
“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
Todd - BHNC #242
USPS really needs to improve their package tracking efficiency.
A few years ago I had a package that had to be received by like June 5th. I mailed it out the Friday before Memorial Day, which is not something I wanted to do because you had a weekend and the Monday Memorial Day when you either don't get movement or things are slow. But it took until Thursday to get everything ready...and I figured why not get a jump on a next Tuesday mailing, it's got to speed things up if I start on Friday, right ?
Well...long story short...the online tracker said AWAITING DEPARTURE FROM NEWARK / ON SCHEDULE FOR MAY 27 DELIVERY or something like that over the weekend...and then it was STILL saying that 3 weeks later !! Needless to say, I got duplicate documents and resent FedX to New Mexico when I saw it was "stuck" on that message for a few days straight.
I think the stupid thing was still saying it was scheduled for ON TIME MAY 27th delivery 2 months later in July !!! Still might, but I no longer remember the tracking number
And that wouldn't be any different for other carriers you might use for shipping. You're unfairly singling out the U.S. Post Office.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
The thread is about the U.S. Post Office.
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
Obvious thread drift going, but I want to set the record straight.
Per their own accounting:
• Controllable loss. Excluding certain expenses that are not controllable by management, the controllable loss was $1.8 billion for the year, compared with over $2.2 billion for the previous fiscal year.** The net loss for the year under generally accepted accounting principles totaled $9.5 billion,** compared with a net loss of $6.5 billion for the previous fiscal year, an increase of $3 billion primarily attributed to the year-over-year increase in noncash workers’ compensation expense.
https://news.usps.com/2024/11/14/usps-reports-year-end-financial-results/
And you stated that if it were broken up and sold to a private company, the problem would be solved. No one has said that there aren't problems with the U.S. Post Office. But so far, no one who's commented has agreed with your conclusion. And I doubt that anyone will. That is, unless you have a friend or family member you can get to post for you.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
I know, I can tell. 🤣 😉
I still love you guys! 👍
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
A few months ago I had a group of coins that I won from Heritage "disappear" somewhere in TX. That's the only package that I've had go lost in the USPS mail. Of course I got a quick refund. But I don't care about the money, I WANTED those coins. They are hard to find in the grades they were, and, the toning at those high grades made them very special to me. Of course I paid more than "double book price" but that's another story. Since when did I ever buy Washingtons? That's half the coins I usually collect, and they were made LONG before my hairy heads were ever thought of being made.
only the thieves themselves truly know when the karma hits. it’s unfortunate their victims don’t get to witness when the piano drops from a story above, ontop of their head. sometimes, when I’m in public and I see someone fall down really hard, or take a direct hit of bird-droppings to the face, I always wonder, “what did they do for that one?”
Just off topic for a second. Hey @TwoSides2aCoin - Have you ever found one?
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
You have made several absolute statements and then, once challenged, you ignore any rebuttals and move the target.
Ignoring that for a moment, you really think that having a for profit company, accountable only to its shareholders, would cost the American people less money?
Some large percentage of postage would go up for nearly every person and business that has anything delivered, which is basically the entire population of the country, particularly those who live in the middle of nowhere and are less likely to be able to afford it.
If I have issues I can go talk to my local postmaster...ever tried to even get a human being on the line with any of the big parcel carriers?
What about the 525k postal employees who will go from decent jobs with pensions and healthcare to indentured servants of corporate America?
You really seem to have no desire to discuss solutions or have a reasonable conversation. You want to drop your poorly thought out "solutions", ask if anyone has questions, and then bristle when people have questions because your "solutions" are nonsense. Any questions?
I’m sorry to read this. I haven’t read all reply’s here but let me offer you this.
I’ve lost packages with silver and gold at the Sacramento sort facility. A friend of mine told my to wrap any silver or gold in aluminum foil. Since I’ve been doing this I haven’t lost anything. Thieves at the postal service use little metal detectors to find silver and gold in packages. If it’s not so difficult they will open the package and steal the contents. It’s a different world we live in now, unfortunately.
I wonder if postal theft is as great of a problem in Arab countries with Sharia Law as it is here?
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire