doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Update UPS employee stole favorite hunting rifle

Brian, I am glad for you recovery, even if incomplete. Hope the thief gets real time and ordered to pay restitution for your stock blank. You can be happy that you helped take him out of a place where he could steal again. Wonder if they might also look at any federal gun laws he broke for stealing your gun in shipment? Federal time might be much greater than a state charge. Still glad you will get your gun back in time.

All these shipping companies are self insured on shipping insurance with a blanket super policy for anything major I am sure. So their first line of defense against any claim is to make the claim as cumbersome as possible. Second line is to “review” which is just a delaying tactic, then deny any they think they have any possible pretense for and then delay and deny until the vast majority get frustrated or tired enough to just go away. Most claims are too low to justify a lawyer as being cost effective and they know it. What they don’t like is when a proactive LEO or state AG takes an interest. They seem to not want their attention drawn to their actions.

One other question. Since it is now established that the theft was by a UPS employee, on their premise will it be easier to get them to pay for your blank? Their employee stole it and disposed of it so they don’t have any room to claim they don’t know what happened.

i don't know what tariffs would affect UPS's liability, but under general tort law they would be responsible for employee theft of the stock blank. Gil

Which just goes to show you- after reading 7 pages of all this confusion, anxiety, despair and grief, I am so glad that I took the route (no pun intended) I took to ship a gun. I leased a car for two days, drove from SW Ohio to Connecticut to drop off a gun that I am having worked on. And my dog and I had the time of our lives doing it! I got to scratch off a wish on my bucket list in the process, when I got to see the old Winchester plant in New Haven. I'll tell you guys the story after I drive up to pick it up when it gets done. But, I was so afraid of shipping the gun that I decided to just drive up and deliver it myself. About 700 miles one way. You just can't be too safe now days, and I'm not about to let some postal worker damage or steal my property AGAIN.

Sounds like an interesting story unfolding Jimmy. Please keep us in the loop when you get your mystery gun back!!

I just shipped 3 guns (2 postal, 1 UPS) without any issues, so it can still be done. Boxing them up properly is critical (if you do happen to have a claim) and then knowing how both the UPS system and the postal system works helps immensely when chosing who to use. Do your homework first.

(I’m hoping that means you found new homes for your M 37 and M 12)

Good homes, hopefully, and then shipped a hammergun to my gunsmith.

99% of all guns shipped arrive safely. But when it goes off the rails it seems shippers all want to try to cover your their ass and pretend they are not at fault. They are 100% at fault. I pay them to take my gun from point A to point B, safely and timely. I give it to them physically and entrust that will do their job. I pay them money to do a job. It is their job not to lose it. It is their job to police their own employees so they do not deliberately or accidental destroy my property. It is their job to make sure their employee does not steal packages. I hope none here ever have a gun lost or damaged in shipping but when it occurs shippers need to step up and pay their claims or find the gun. Not an unreasonable requirement.

Absolutely...