Suburban Woman Sends Easter Care Package To Her Daughter In 2-Day Priority Mail, But It Was Bouncing Around Suburban Sites 10 Days Later
CAROL STREAM, Ill. (CBS) -- Marilyn Enstrom paid for two-day priority mail to Minnesota – but it was 10 days later when the package left Illinois.
We keep uncovering postal problems, so this time we decided to track the suburban woman's care package for her daughter. CBS 2's Tim McNicholas found out that for some reason, the package has been bouncing back and forth between several suburban locations for days.
"I was going to send her a care package with some goodies," Enstrom said.
Enstrom wanted to send her daughter an Easter basket – with a chocolate bunny, candy-filled eggs, and $ in quarters for the laundry at her Minneapolis college.
Enstrom mailed it all from a Carol Stream post office in late March.
"I know the mail was a little delayed, and so I figured that would give it a whole week until Saturday, which was her birthday, to get here," Enstrom said.
To be sure, she went with two-day priority shipping. But the tracking info shows it didn't take the same route as the Easter Bunny.
The package went to Elk Grove Village, then Palatine, up to Spring Grove, back down to Elk Grove Village, back to Palatine, and back to Elk Grove Village – where it still was 10 days later.
"When I inquired as to what was wrong with it; why it wasn't going where it needed to go, I was told that they can't get workers at that facility – so the mail is just piling up and getting behind," Enstrom said.
After we reached out to the postal service, they suddenly said the package was found – and it's on the way to Minnesota.
"If you're going to charge for a two-day package, either get it there in two days or say: 'You know what? We can't do that right now. We're not going to be able to do two-day packages."
Enstrom's daughter might be celebrating Easter a little late this year, but better late than never.
In the past, the Postal Service blamed service issues on staffing shortages and in fact went on a hiring spree. A spokesperson insists these facilities have enough employees.
So why did the package bounce from suburb to suburb until we got involved? That same spokesperson tells us they have no idea.
UPDATE: The package finally arrived at its destination on April 9 -- some 11 days after it was mailed.