DALLAS — It's not the letters that tend to disappear, says Michael Johnson, who runs the mail room at a large, downtown Dallas law firm. It's the packages that are shipped from the office by employees.
Some are returning items to places like QVC or Home Shopping Network; others are buying things from eBay.
Johnson said stolen items include Rangers tickets and gift cards that someone ended up using at the Parks at Arlington shopping center.
"It was very upsetting," said law firm employee Vicki Ivy. She sent two valuable packages of clothes and gifts to her granddaughter in Amarillo. Neither arrived.
"I don't trust the post office right now," Ivy said.
She's talking about the main Dallas post office at Interstate 30 and Sylvan Avenue.
The firm uses a courier service that drops mail there at the end of the day. Johnson doesn't believe the couriers are to blame, since other building tenants who use other courier services have also complained about stolen packages.
In October and November, Johnson sent written complaints — with documentation — to the Postal Service.
"I think from October to December the situation should have been well taken care of, and we should have been offered an explanation of what's going on with our mail," Johnson said.
On Monday a Postal Service spokesman responded, saying: "To my knowledge, today is the first time the Office of Inspector General of the Postal Service has been notified relative to the missing articles."
The spokesman said the case will be forwarded to investigators.
"I don't feel enough is being done," Johnson said.
In the meantime, he is advising co-workers to avoid the U.S. Mail when sending holiday gifts.
E-mail dschechter@wfaa.com
