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Author
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Topic: Flown Apollo 9 patch stolen during shipping
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spacehiker
Member Posts: 386
From: London, UK
Registered: Aug 2009
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posted 03-02-2014 10:39 AM
   
I recently purchased a flown Apollo 9 patch and this was dispatched from the States via a well known parcel company last week. The package arrived in the UK on Thursday but without the Apollo 9 patch. Unfortunately the sender had referred to the patch on the outside of the package. The package was undamaged. It had been opened and resealed by someone who could only have been an employee of the parcel company (the tape used to reseal the package was the parcel company's own tape). I have talked to the parcel company and they have confirmed that the tape is only used when a package is damaged in transit and they keep always keep a record of this. They have now come back to me and told me that they have no record of the package having been damaged and cannot explain why it was opened. The tracking record for the package shows a discrepancy when it reached Orlando, Florida and this seems likely to have been the location when the patch was removed. Although I have little hope of recovering the patch if anyone comes across one of these for sale and it matches the one shown on the photo then please could they let me know.  |
rgarner
Member Posts: 1193
From: Shepperton, United Kingdom
Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 03-02-2014 10:51 AM
You need to raise a formal complaint and provide details as well as any suspicions on where the patch was stolen from, so that they can track down the thief. If a number of items go missing from a particular sorting office they will know that there is a thief working there and can check surveillance tapes. Them telling you ''we don't know'' whilst shrugging their shoulders isn't good enough. If the package was insured (and I hope it was) then the seller needs to claim for it and reimburse you if the package cannot be retrieved and the thief found.One last thing. The seller by law has to disclose the contents and value when sending abroad - its not the best idea in the world but that is how customs works (or doesn't work as the case is most of the time). If it does appear on eBay then contact eBay directly, then law enforcement will become involved, ask eBay for the seller's name and address and then pay them a visit. I will be keeping an eye out on eBay, but I hope you get it back, if for the historical value alone. |
SkyMan1958
Member Posts: 867
From: CA.
Registered: Jan 2011
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posted 03-02-2014 06:01 PM
Best of luck on getting your money back! It sucks to have things stolen. I'll keep my eye open for it. |
vidoz
Member Posts: 82
From: Italy
Registered: Aug 2011
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posted 03-03-2014 07:52 AM
It's a shame.I'll keep an eye out for it! |
Liembo
Member Posts: 583
From: Bothell, WA
Registered: Jan 2013
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posted 03-03-2014 10:40 AM
What exactly did your shipper write on the manifest as to the contents of the package?For future reference for those of us who do ship items overseas that involve customs declarations, is it necessary to be specific (to a fault) on the declaration? "Apollo 9 flown patch" vs "embroidered emblem" (I always use the latter). I suppose the visibility of the declared value will potentially be an indicator of the intrinsic value, though. |
rgarner
Member Posts: 1193
From: Shepperton, United Kingdom
Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 03-03-2014 11:37 AM
When I sell abroad I always put a lower value on the items to deter this kind of thing but I will send it with a specific insured value (which is not shown on the package, but reflects the service used). It also means my customers pay less in import tax. There was a time when I didn't do this and since, no thefts. It works. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-03-2014 11:40 AM
I've been cautioned by postal workers before that if your insured value and your stated value differ too greatly, it can result in problems when claims are filed. I haven't (thankfully) had any reason to put this to test, but perhaps something to consider. |
rgarner
Member Posts: 1193
From: Shepperton, United Kingdom
Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 03-03-2014 12:01 PM
Yes that can happen, as long as you can argue the difference between retail value and resale value then it doesn't cause any problems. As long as the difference isn't over $1000 they generally don't beat an eyelash - but if you're sending something over that value, it should be sent fully insured anyway.For me it just means that I don't have to replace things that have been stolen (which adds up let me tell you) and it means my customers don't have the misfortune of waiting for something that will never arrive. |
spacehiker
Member Posts: 386
From: London, UK
Registered: Aug 2009
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posted 03-04-2014 12:29 PM
Thanks for all the replies and advice. I've raised a complaint with the package company and they are looking into the issue. Unfortunately, the shipper was not the seller of the item and was just acting as a mail forwarder. I stupidly forgot to request insurance for the package! I understand from the shipper that the item was described as a flown Apollo patch on the customs form. Perhaps a little too much detail in hindsight. This is just a situation I will have to learn from. |
capoetc
Member Posts: 2169
From: McKinney TX (USA)
Registered: Aug 2005
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posted 03-04-2014 04:42 PM
I cannot imagine a seller, or even a middle-man shipper, not asking whether insurance is requested on an expensive item. Guess it happens though... sorry this happened to you. |
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