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2 On Your Side: Stimulus Check Goes Missing In The Mail

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - With so many Americans receiving stimulus checks and unemployment money, postal authorities are warning about increased mail theft.

Michael and Kristine Pescasio thought they were doing everything right: they have a locked mailbox, cameras all over their Jefferson Park home, and they signed up for informed delivery service with the Post Office.

"So it's a service where every morning I get an email from the post office and it has an image of the mail that is heading my way," said Michael.

Two weeks ago, the couple was sent a photo from USPS. The sender? The U.S. Treasury Department.

It was their long-awaited stimulus check.

The couple run an interior design business in Santa Monica and have been closed since March.

"This check was kind of like one little glimmer of hope," said Kristine.

But the envelope never arrived, so he contacted the postal service.

"A week and a half later, I received a call from the post office and left a message, which I missed so I have been calling him every day since," he said.

That was two weeks ago. Since then, the Pescasios say they haven't been able to talk to anyone with the postal service.

"I know it wasn't stolen out of my mailbox because it is a locked box and I have 14 cameras surrounding this house so I know who comes and goes and no one has come to my mailbox," said Michael.

They have reported the check stolen to the IRS and say they are speaking out for action and awareness.

"I really feel like this is maybe, we are one of many that don't know that the money was coming because they don't have that service," said Michael.

2 On Your Side contacted USPS and were referred to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. They offered tips such as:

  • Don't let mail sit
  • Learn your carriers schedule
  • Locked mailbox
  • Hold your mail at post office
  • Sign up for informed delivery service

But the Pescasios took all those steps sand still had their check go missing.

"We happen to know that this check was coming, and didn't come," said Michael. "We're not alone."

A U.S. Postal Inspection Service spokesperson said they will be reaching out to the couple and that the matter is under investigation, so they could not discuss further specifics.

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