Robert Bates has yet to receive a rifle scope he ordered online in mid-January. He said he'll probably never get it, even though he claims it was delivered to the Raymondville U.S. Post Office on February 1.
"I came right down to the post office to ask because I had been in here the first of February, it was a Friday, and picked up a few packages and that wasn't one of them,” Bates said. “It was obviously given to someone else who wasn't honest enough to turn it back in."
Bates said the package was supposed to be delivered to his home address, but never arrived. The post office, however, recorded the parcel as delivered.
Bates believes the post office is scanning packages marking them delivered, before they are actually in their rightful owners hands. To make matters worse, he said, the postmaster's response to the issue was anything but helpful.
"She didn't think this was a problem and she says this is the way they've been told to do it - but it's not the correct way to do it,” Bates said. “When I questioned her about it, she got kind of indignant that I was questioning her authority.”
Bates understands the postal office is going through many changes, but adds this system is unfair to customers like him that stand to lose hundreds of dollars in merchandise.
"They do that because it's simpler, easier and quicker because they're running short-staffed anyway,” Bates said. “So they just do all that early in the morning, before people have to get in there and start waiting on folks. I understand why they do it, but in this situation it cost me $273."
Bates said he's been handed the wrong package several times, and always returns it. He hopes if his scope is still out there, someone will return the favor.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKGBT