HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Frustrated business owners say they lost thousands of dollars after packages dropped off at Hilo’s main post office disappeared one after another. HNN Investigates spoke to two small business owners who said they’ve been struggling with this issue for more than a year.
Fed up with not receiving mail, Kahua Aina’s owner took to social media to see if anyone else was having trouble. Jordan Kamara soon realized he wasn’t alone.
“So many people have said to me, ‘Yes, my small business is here.’ My small business is there,” she said.
Then she learned that another business owner in Hilo, Jessica Wong, was having the same problem.
“We didn’t have any problems until last year,” Wong said.
Both business owners told HNN Investigates that when large numbers of packages ordered online are dropped off at post office back docks or in mailboxes, it appears that not all packages are scanned by the system.
HNN investigates
“Customers send us emails asking where is the latest information, where’s my package,” Kamara said.
“I looked at all the tracking and noticed there were about 10 orders. Same thing. It said a barcode label was created, but USPS never received it.” Mr Wong said. “So I filed the necessary claims.”
But she says she never got answers about what happened. And her request to be compensated for her losses was denied. In total, she says her expenses will be about $2,500.
When asked how that would affect her small business, she replied: We’re not Amazon. ”
HNN Investigates filed a complaint with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, two federal agencies responsible for investigating mail theft.
When asked what the USPS is doing to get to the bottom of the alleged incident in Hilo, Postal Inspector Matthew Norfleet replied: ”
He went on to say, “Given the ongoing nature of this situation in Hilo, there’s not much we can say about what’s going on at this point without revealing who is responsible.”
Norfleet said customers should not leave their mail unattended at the post office. He said he has seen cases in California where thieves break into post office premises and steal.
“Whether it’s the front counter or the back dock,” he said.
If you’re dropping off your luggage at the dock behind Hilo, Norfleet says, “just ring the buzzer and wait for someone to come out. They’ll scan your email.”
He also suggests companies obtain commercial accounts.
“Have your carrier come out and scan at your store or warehouse, where you don’t have the same time pressure, and there’s probably no one else waiting,” Norfleet said. Ta.
Meanwhile, Camera says he can’t afford to lose anything else. That’s why she decided to wait in line in the lobby and let the clerk scan each of her many bags one by one.
“You have to get a receipt,” she said.
If you’ve experienced a similar problem in Hilo, the Postal Inspector would like to hear from you. Call us at 877-876-2455.
If you have information that can help solve the case, you can also call that number. Tips leading to a conviction could result in a reward of up to $100,000.
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