Son's cash is lost in post again
By Jo Deeks on Thursday, 30th August 2001.
A HAVERHILL woman has vowed never to send birthday cards in the post again after her son's cards containing cash were lost for the last two years running.
Susan Fox, aged 52, of Rowan Close, Haverhill, was horrified that her son Richard Sheehan, 33, never received the card containing £20 she posted on August 2 to his home in River Lane, Cambridge.
His sister Alison had posted a card also containing £20 in the same box outside Haverhill Post Office at the same time of day, the year before.
Mrs Fox wrote to the Post Office but was disappointed to be told they do not investigate individual cases of lost post, only trends. Now she wants to warn others that their letters may not be as safe as they thought.
"It is quite a coincidence for the same person's cards to go missing two years running and I could not believe they would not investigate it. Our post goes straight from Haverhill to Cambridge to be sorted so I think that is where the problem is.
"It seems you cannot safely send anything of value unless you insure it or pay £3.60 for a special delivery. If this is the case I think they should make it absolutely plain to people that things will go missing and you cannot trust them.
"I know it is a small amount but it is not about the money, it is the principle of the thing. I certainly won't be posting any cars to my twin grandsons, I will find a way to deliver them by hand," Mrs Fox said.
A spokesman for Consignia, which owns Royal Mail, said because it handled around 80 million letters, it was impossible to check on a single letter.
For this reason they advised people not to send cash in the post.
He added: "I am not aware of a particular problem in any area, all I can say is that we apologised to the lady."
Customers who have problems with their post should contact the Customer Service Helpline on 08457 740740.
Susan Fox, aged 52, of Rowan Close, Haverhill, was horrified that her son Richard Sheehan, 33, never received the card containing £20 she posted on August 2 to his home in River Lane, Cambridge.
His sister Alison had posted a card also containing £20 in the same box outside Haverhill Post Office at the same time of day, the year before.
Mrs Fox wrote to the Post Office but was disappointed to be told they do not investigate individual cases of lost post, only trends. Now she wants to warn others that their letters may not be as safe as they thought.
"It is quite a coincidence for the same person's cards to go missing two years running and I could not believe they would not investigate it. Our post goes straight from Haverhill to Cambridge to be sorted so I think that is where the problem is.
"It seems you cannot safely send anything of value unless you insure it or pay £3.60 for a special delivery. If this is the case I think they should make it absolutely plain to people that things will go missing and you cannot trust them.
"I know it is a small amount but it is not about the money, it is the principle of the thing. I certainly won't be posting any cars to my twin grandsons, I will find a way to deliver them by hand," Mrs Fox said.
A spokesman for Consignia, which owns Royal Mail, said because it handled around 80 million letters, it was impossible to check on a single letter.
For this reason they advised people not to send cash in the post.
He added: "I am not aware of a particular problem in any area, all I can say is that we apologised to the lady."
Customers who have problems with their post should contact the Customer Service Helpline on 08457 740740.
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