HAINES CITY, Fla. — Glenn Lawhorn just missed a payday because of what happened inside the Haines City Post Office.
“I am in lawn maintenance and pest control,” he said. “My bank is the post office. All my payments come through the post office box.”
Recently, a check a lawn care customer mailed to him was never delivered, so Lawhorn started asking questions and learned why: an unknown person entered the post office in the early afternoon of August 1 and stole an unknown amount of mail.
According to a Haines City Police Department incident report obtained by ABC Action News, the incident was reported to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service since it happened in a federal building.
“What? The Post Office got broke into? How do you break into the Post Office?” Lawhorn said.
Lawhorn reached out to ABC Action News, because he said the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) isn’t doing enough to make sure Haines City customers are aware of the breach. He said he and the person who mailed him the check were never notified.
“I’d have put out some kind of notice,” he said. “Like I say, at least a sign in the lobby. Put it up on the door. Stuck it in people’s P.O. boxes.”
He also wants to know what the post office here is doing to make sure a similar theft doesn’t happen again.
According to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, suggestions have been made to improve security at the Haines City Post Office.
As for the branch, if impacted customers are identified, they will be notified.
Lawhorn, however, thinks the post office could be doing more now.
“This has such a profound effect on people’s lives. You know, if your information gets stolen by somebody, they have your checking account number. Now, all they gotta figure out a way to get some more information, and they wipe you out. Or your mortgage payment. Maybe you’re running 30 days behind, and you miss a complete payment. Oh, hell,” he said. “Now what?”
If you believe you are a victim of the mail theft, you can report it to your local law enforcement agency and the USPIS at www.uspis.gov/report [uspis.gov] or 877-876-2455.
