Wow, thats low, sorry to hear it.

For whatever its worth, I actually saw a project that involved Postal Inspectors researching ways to sterilize mail after the biological attacks of the early 2000's. They really do exist. On the positive side, if you have surveillance video or some evidence and they catch this Grinch, there is no BS city "catch and release" diversion programs with the Feds.

Our Venice Postmaster? I bet he is right on the job.

Had my mail stolen many times years ago, postmaster did nothing.

see Venice Rob is once again trashing someone, my postman rocks!

Living in Venice and still having a mailbox that is not locked?  My mailbox is, basically behind barbwire.

We have great postman but I will happily fold the Post Service too and use privet companies, which I do most of the time now any way. my postman will be just fine with his pension, actually, he will be better off doing nothing and collecting his government pension.

Folding the postal service in favor of UPS or Fedex would be fine here in Venice, but what if you were to retire to a remote area?  The USPS is mandated to deliver everywhere, even tiny communities that are remotely located.  If you were to privatize the post office, there are communities that would be deemed "unprofitable" to deliver to by a private company.  That means that those people would have to drive a long distance every day to pickup or mail a letter.

We all have our postal horror stories.  I ordered a nut for a friends guitar in early December.  Tracked it with the tracking number all the way from Arkansas to Los Angeles – where it was "missent".  Ordered another just in case.  The 2nd nut is in Venice and due to be delivered today.  Still no sign of the first one.

So yes, we've all been there.

Having said that, when you consider the unbelievable volume of mail that the USPS delivers every day, they are arguably very efficient.

And even the private guys don't always get it right.  Remember that surveillance video a while back of the UPS driver tossing the fragile packages into a yard and running off?

Anyone running a major business will have issues with specific employees and isolated incidents.

I can honestly say that we have a very decent and conscientious mailman at the moment.  Our service gets a bit more sporadic when he is on vacation, but our regular guy is awesome.

As for LAPD not wanting to take a report, I think that's bogus.  Again, it reminds me of what happened when our car got broken into.  The cop we called to report it to asked if we were going to make an insurance claim.  I told him no, since the cost of the damage was less than my deductible.  He then told the Mrs. that since we weren't filing a claim, there would be no need to make a report.  He actually talked her out of reporting a crime.

Of course, no surprise, they announced with great fanfare a month or two later about what a fabulous job they were doing, since property crime was "down" in Venice.

I think that the LAPD will often talk someone out of reporting a petty crime just to make there stats look better.

I guess the legal question is at what point is mail no longer mail?  Is it under the care and control of the USPS until it's delivered, or until you physically open it?  My belief is that it should be a federal crime to interfere with the mail until it's delivered to your door – after which the theft of property from your mail box should be an LAPD matter.  Passing the buck and refusing to get involved just doesn't seem right.  Maybe they should change their motto to "To Occasionally Protect and Somewhat Serve"

While I'm ranting – here's another one.  Got a call from some guy collecting money for some police association.  I told him that I would take his info and check with the Mrs., since she handles the household budget.  He kept pressing me for the money, even saying "Who wears the pants in your family."  (Like that's really gonna make me want to write him a check.)  I asked if the LAPD felt that it was morally okay for me to lie to my wife, since that was what he was asking me to do.  Didn't exactly cast them in a good light.

Okay, I realize it was probably some company they hired that works out of a sweatshop, but still.  You would think that someone collecting money for the police would care about morals.  Just found it ironic.

Hope you get your mail back.

SaltWater said

Bird Man of Venice said  I ordered a nut for a friends guitar in early December.  Tracked it with the tracking number all the way from Arkansas to Los Angeles – where it was "missent".  Ordered another just in case.  The 2nd nut is in Venice and due to be delivered today.  Still no sign of the first one.

I know guitars have holes but I didn't know they had nuts.

Just look under the fret.