Clay County residents’ mail goes missing amid worries about theft
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KEARNEY, Mo. — The holiday season is often filled with special deliveries — unless the ones you’re expecting don’t show up.
People living in two Clay County towns said some of their mail is missing. They specify that they’re missing Christmas and birthday cards, some of which were filled with money.
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In Kearney, Megan Roberts and her neighbors have been missing birthday and Christmas cards all year. Roberts said one relative even sent Megan two birthday cards, both of which had gifts of cash inside — and neither showed.
Roberts said she doesn’t believe either even made it to the community mailbox down the street from her family’s home.
“It’s disappointing that somebody would have to do this around Christmas time,” Roberts said. “I don’t know if they’ve fallen on hard times, or they’re doing this for fun. I don’t know.”
Roberts’ husband made a post on one of Kearney’s neighborhood Facebook groups, asking if others were experiencing this trouble.
So far, the post has gathered more than 100 comments from people saying their cards and packages aren’t being delivered, but other mail items are.
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Both the Kearney Police Department and Clay County Sheriff’s Department say they have no current reports of stolen mail.
Drive north to Holt, Missouri, and you’ll find Danielle Troncin, who said her roadside mailbox is experiencing the same trouble. Troncin and her family live in a rural area. Holiday and birthday cards from out-of-town loved ones haven’t been seen since the summer months.
“I don’t think it’s being stolen out of my mailbox. I don’t think it’s making it to the mail carrier,” Troncin added. “Maybe somebody is stealing it.”
A Kansas City-based spokesperson for the United States Postal Service told FOX4 that inspectors aren’t aware of any mail theft concerns in Clay County.
The postal service recommends never leaving deliveries unattended. If you’re traveling, ask the post office to hold your mail until you go home. Customers can ask the postal service to keep their deliveries at the post office until the customer signs for them, and watching the area where your packages are delivered is a good idea, too.
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Both mail customers FOX4 spoke with said, going forward, they plan to use mobile banking apps — like Venmo or PayPal.
The spokesperson from the postal service recommends customers ensure they’re not leaving mail unattended for too much time, and Registered Mail has tracking systems that follow shipments all the way.
