mail delivered to wrong address and opened

[milspecgirl]

What is the name of your state? tn
I am having problems with our mail carrier delivering packages to the wrong address. The streets are all similar names and she keeps delivering my pkgs that go to 123 abc st to 123 abcd st- around the corner.
those ppl open the mail and then keep the stuff. I went up there today after being notified that the item in question had been delivered and I never received it to see if they had it. It wasn't much- a cell phone case I had ordered. She brings one to the door- her kids opened the pkg on accident, blah blah. It is not what i ordered- obviously very used (even though she claims it was in a sealed pkg). I'm guessing that they decided to use the new one and then tried to pawn the old one off on me when I came looking.
I have complained to the post office, but it keeps happening.
I don't want to have to pay for a po box just to get my stuff. normal ppl would return a pkg when they realized it wasn't theirs- not keep it for over 2 weeks until someone comes looking for it.
my questions is... is it still a federal offense if you open someone else's mail even if it was delivered to your house? and if so, what is the possible punishment?

 

[Hershon]

Just pay for the PO Box

The Post Office leaves packages most of the time in front of my door so anyone can take them despite my complaints. Most federal employees don't give a damn cause its hard to fire them.
The bottom line is, just pay for the PO Box, cause however unfair it is, your still better off.

 

[milspecgirl]

well, po box won't solve it cause ups, fedex, etc don't deliver to po boxes
i want to send them a harshly worded letter pretty much stating that their children need to be taught not to open other people's mail and that it is a federal offense to open other ppl's mail, stealing to keep it, etc. I just want to know if it is still an offense to open someone else's mail if it was delivered to your house by accident

 

[Ohiogal]

well, po box won't solve it cause ups, fedex, etc don't deliver to po boxes
i want to send them a harshly worded letter pretty much stating that their children need to be taught not to open other people's mail and that it is a federal offense to open other ppl's mail, stealing to keep it, etc. I just want to know if it is still an offense to open someone else's mail if it was delivered to your house by accident

Yep. it is.

 

[milspecgirl]

THANK YOU OG
is it considered stealing- legally- to keep the item that wasn't addressed to you?

 

[Raptoer]

Yes, they possessed goods which belonged to you without your permission.

 

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

You may want to consider having packages to be delivered to you at work. I've eliminated the problem of the disappearing packages by having them come to work.

 

[Hershon]

Sorry I meant private mail service box. All those places deliver to them.

 

[caretta32]

this had happened to me and I called the Post Master General for my area. They took my information and I faxed the evidence of the other person writing on my mail to them and the other person recieved a cease and desist letter.

 

[milspecgirl]

heck- they went and talked to the woman and she just said her kids did it, blah blah, kids will be kids, etc

 

[CdwJava]

Unfortunately, unless your state has a statute outlawing the intentional opening of another's mail, you would have to rely on the feds to pursue it. Sorry to say, without any loss or damage, I doubt that US Attorney is going to waste time and resources with a case like this. You can always report it, but they often refer the reporting party back to local authorities who very often have no statute to cover the issue and simply talk to the involved parties.

This sounds like a quality control issue with your local post office. I'd suggest you work your way up the USPS food chain to see that the matter doesn't happen again. If they are delivering it to the wrong address (assuming the address was clear and legible on the package or mail item), they may be liable for any loss or damage.

- Carl