Postal inspectors and employees at the Wilmington, DE, Processing and Distribution Center have recovered more than $10,000 worth of USPS pallets at one business in Delaware.
The Postal Service provides mail transport equipment — including pallets, boxes, trays and tubs — to businesses to facilitate shipping.
The businesses are expected to use the equipment only for shipping through USPS.
However, while visiting a Delaware business recently to investigate a counterfeit postage case, postal inspectors Troy Reyes and Daniel Darnley and contractor Teresa Ryan saw large quantities of plastic USPS pallets.
They checked with Chris Brandt, a logistics clerk who processes orders for mail transport equipment at the Wilmington P&DC. He didn’t see this company on his list of qualified shipping partners.
The inspectors found that the business was buying the USPS pallets from a third party.
Postal inspectors, along with Brandt and Rich Warrington, a logistics operations supervisor, found and retrieved additional unauthorized USPS shipping equipment throughout the area.
“Every piece of recovered equipment helps keep our network running smoothly,” Brandt said.
Theft or misuse of USPS mail transport equipment is a federal crime, and it cuts into the organization’s revenue. Plastic pallets alone cost $20 apiece.
During the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the Inspection Service recovered $940,000 in mail transport equipment.
“Every year, stolen or lost mail transport equipment results in major financial losses for the Postal Service,” Reyes said. “The Postal Inspection Service plays a key role in locating and recovering stolen postal property.”
Email the USPS Mail Transport Equipment Service Center or call 866-330-3404 to report unauthorized use of mail transport equipment.
