29Oct04

Beware of UPS Stores!

Recently, I attempted to ship a broken gun via a UPS Store in a large, metr o area in the Midwest. Part were dissembled, and the weapons itself was broken. In fact, I was shipping it back to the manufacturer for repair. I 've done this same thing many times.

Unknown to me, the local PD has instituted a "turn in your neighbor " policy, where UPS Store employees are instructed to pilfer any package they

consider "suspicious." Such pilfering is done out of sight of the shipper and without his knowledge or consent. It is clearly illegal, but nobody seems to care. I got caught in the trap, and my package ended up with the local PD. I was never notified by UPS or the UPS Store, and, when I called them, they played dumb and claimed to know nothing about it. I called a number they g ave me, and it turned out to be the number of the PD. This bureau seems intent on manufacturing criminals where there are none, and they look upon all gun owners as outlaws.

In any event, I got my package back, but it took six weeks. The UPS Store did fully refund all shipping and packaging charges. My letter and calls t o the PD all went unanswered for weeks. Only when I retained a local lawyer and had him write a pointed letter did they suddenly learn how to use a telephone! The fact that I am also a police officer did not seem to do any thing in my favor.

When one tries to ship a gun, and he tells the shipper it is a gun, the gun

will routinely be stolen. I've always chosen to go low profile. I am still persuaded that is the best way to go. However, UPS and UPS Stores are particularly vehement gun haters, and this city has a gun-hating, gun-owner-harassing agenda, which is enforced as if it were law.

All is well that ends well, but there are some important lessons:

>Never ship anything important via UPS. FedEx is much friendlier, and they

seem happier to have your business.

>Don't use UPS Stores. There are plenty of other places that are m ore agreeable and don't ask questions.

>Whatever shipping place you use, always pay with a credit card. Knowing you can later contest a charge makes employees less likely to mess up a sal e.

>Always insure the package. Again, they don't like to mess up a do ne deal.

>Never leave a shipping place without a receipt, and a tracking number. Again, once the package is in the system, they tend to leave it alone. Don 't just drop it off and believe them when they say, "We'll take care of it."

>Have the package wrapped at one place, and than take it to another for actual shipping. Don't perform both functions at the same place.

>Don't ship from any big, metro area. The local PD may be bored!

>Don't have anything on the package marking or label that suggest it contains a gun. Words like "gunsmithing," =80=9Carms, " "gunworks,=80=9D etc are all an invitation to pilferage.

>If store employees start asking nosy questions, don't answer them. Take your package and leave immediately.

It won't get better. We warriors have to find, as always, ways to work around whatever barriers are erected.

/John