Lost Mail Discovered in North Side Alley
Introduction to the Incident
CHICAGO — Nathan Mason is a longtime resident of Chicago’s North Side. He’s seen a lot over the years but nothing like what he recently discovered.
On a cold Saturday morning in late January, Mason discovered hundreds of pieces of mail in the alley outside his building near Leland Avenue and Sheridan Road.
“There was a significant number of W-2s, checks…a lot of financial stuff,” Mason said. “I walked up and down the alley and the backyard and picked up about 250 pieces of mail.”
That was seven weeks ago.
Efforts to Return the Mail
Since then, Mason sorted the mail and posted a list of the addresses on social media, to try and help people who were looking for lost mail. All of it appeared to be within an area serviced by the Uptown Post Office located at 4850 N. Broadway.
Mason then returned it to the post office in hopes it will finally be delivered.
“I made the list and saw that it was – I could pick out an area on the map,” he said. “So, it was certainly like one route.”
But it’s still not clear how the mail ended up there or who was responsible.
Investigation into the Matter
“The regular letter carrier was on vacation,” said Elise Foster, president of the local office of National Association for Letter Carriers. “They have not found out how the mail got there.”
A spokesman for the USPS declined to comment. The federal agency’s Office of Inspector General investigates allegations of mail dumping.
The status of that internal investigation is unknown.
Context and Implications
The alleged mail dumping comes as the U.S. Postal Service faces an uncertain future. The Trump Administration has suggested that privatizing mail service could save taxpayers money.
But there are no immediate plans to do so.
Data obtained by WGN Investigates shows there were 58 complaint calls regarding the Uptown Post Office over a recent 12-month span.
The majority of the calls were linked to alleged mail theft and there are currently 18 open investigations, including one involving mail Mason discovered in the alley.
Conclusion
The discovery of lost mail in a North Side alley has raised questions about the reliability and integrity of the postal service in the area. While efforts have been made to return the mail to its rightful owners, the incident highlights the need for increased vigilance and accountability within the system. As the U.S. Postal Service navigates its future, addressing issues like mail dumping and theft will be crucial to maintaining public trust.
FAQs
What was discovered in the North Side alley?
Hundreds of pieces of mail, including W-2s and checks, were found in an alley near Leland Avenue and Sheridan Road.
How did the mail end up in the alley?
The exact circumstances of how the mail ended up in the alley are still under investigation and unclear.
What actions have been taken regarding the incident?
The mail was returned to the Uptown Post Office, and an internal investigation by the USPS Office of Inspector General is ongoing.
Is this incident part of a larger problem with the U.S. Postal Service?
The incident contributes to concerns about the service’s reliability and integrity, especially in the context of alleged mail theft and the USPS’s uncertain future.
