RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office has canceled the ‘postal town hall‘ meeting — meant address the recent increase of mail thefts and fraud in the city — which was scheduled for Tuesday.
The Office of Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Colette W. McEachin announced that a ‘postal town hall’ meeting would be held in December to address the increased reports of mail being stolen or undelivered to residents, resulting in mail fraud in a joint investigation with the Richmond Police Department and United States Postal Service (USPS) inspectors.
According to information released by the Office of the Richmond’s Commonwealth’s Attorney on Sunday, Dec. 3, the public meeting was canceled.
Unfortunately, despite multiple conversations with, and assurances from, USPS inspectors and supervisors, the U.S. Postal Service has declined our invitation to participate in a Town Hall meeting to provide answers to the residents they are supposed to serve, especially during this holiday mailing season. The Postal Service is the sole agency able to answer questions regarding their non-delivery of mail. In light of their decision not to participate, we have reluctantly decided to cancel the Town Hall at this time. We urge the USPS reconsider their decision and to hold a public forum to discuss the issues related to non-delivery of mail, mail fraud, and mail theft.
The Office of Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney
The Office said it will continue to work to help residents who are negatively affected by “the Postal Service’s lack of performance and communication,” but the U.S. Postal Service is the only organization that can answer residents’ questions and resolve mail delivery problems.
Officials advised residents to avoid using the blue mailboxes that are in the public and outside of post office buildings.
8News reached out to the U.S. Postal Service for comment regarding the decline of the invitation to attend the postal town hall.
In response, a spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service said, “There was a scheduling conflict for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service personnel that did not permit our attendance.”
