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UPS package arrives empty
snowball
3104 replies258 threads Senior Member
in Parent Cafe
I had an oil painting purchased in the early 70's by a local artist with a juvenile theme. It was hung in my bedroom and then my daughter's when she was born. As my daughter was expecting a girl and lived out of town, I wanted to send the painting for the baby's room. My local framer removed the canvas from the frame it was on, and packed it for shipping. It was in a large tube, about 4.5 feet tall and about 10" in diameter. The painting itself was rolled around a tube and over wrapped in bubble wrap. While the shipping tube was previously used for another piece of art, the ends was capped and taped closed when I picked it up.
I dropped it at my local UPS Store that I have used for years, insured it, and shipped to my daughter's work as I didn't want it sitting at her door until she arrived home. After she received the package and dragged it home, it sat for a couple of days. Once she opened it, she found the tube empty.
We have a claim with UPS and I have been in communication with my local store. As the baby arrived early and my dad passed away, we didn't press UPS for a response. They were having trouble receiving the pictures of the tube, so my daughter didn't get them to them until she was home from the hospital. It sounds like they are not able to find the painting, and by the way the tubing was taped shut, we think someone within UPS opened the package and took the panting. The way it was wrapped, it would be hard for the painting to just fall out. If it did, it was large and bubble wrap, so it should be able to be located.
While I insured the package for $2000, not having any clue what it was worth, I really want the painting, not the money. I have no clue if UPS will actually pay me that amount as it isn't like the painting has been appraised. Actually, when I was looking in my dad's desk for something else, I found a folder labeled art work. Low and behold, there was an invoice for the painting; he paid $400 in 1972! I don't know if this invoice will help me or not.
I have tried to look online to see if the painting might show up on ebay or somewhere else; no luck there. Looking for any suggestions to get UPS to search deeper, or what to do next. If only UPS weighed packages at each stop; we would then know where it went missing.
24 replies I dropped it at my local UPS Store that I have used for years, insured it, and shipped to my daughter's work as I didn't want it sitting at her door until she arrived home. After she received the package and dragged it home, it sat for a couple of days. Once she opened it, she found the tube empty.
We have a claim with UPS and I have been in communication with my local store. As the baby arrived early and my dad passed away, we didn't press UPS for a response. They were having trouble receiving the pictures of the tube, so my daughter didn't get them to them until she was home from the hospital. It sounds like they are not able to find the painting, and by the way the tubing was taped shut, we think someone within UPS opened the package and took the panting. The way it was wrapped, it would be hard for the painting to just fall out. If it did, it was large and bubble wrap, so it should be able to be located.
While I insured the package for $2000, not having any clue what it was worth, I really want the painting, not the money. I have no clue if UPS will actually pay me that amount as it isn't like the painting has been appraised. Actually, when I was looking in my dad's desk for something else, I found a folder labeled art work. Low and behold, there was an invoice for the painting; he paid $400 in 1972! I don't know if this invoice will help me or not.
I have tried to look online to see if the painting might show up on ebay or somewhere else; no luck there. Looking for any suggestions to get UPS to search deeper, or what to do next. If only UPS weighed packages at each stop; we would then know where it went missing.
This discussion has been closed.
Replies to: UPS package arrives empty
I did think about contacting the painter's estate to see if his son might have a photo. He use to have a gallery out of state, so just maybe the son will have something or know how to search online. While I know what the painting was named, if indeed it was stolen, the person that has it in their possession wouldn't know.
Seems like the only ones who handled the painting with knowledge of its insured value were you & the local UPS store.
That was my thought also, although I have used this store for years and have been dealing with the manager directly. Actually, he was the one who handling the shipping order. Not to say he couldn't have taken the painting, but I would hope not. My daughter thought that would be really stupid of his store to take something in plan sight, especially something so large, but people do stupid things. He knows the painting is more important to me than the money. I thought about asking him if I could offer a reward to anyone that found the painting. I don't know if they would allow a posting at each facility like that, but I would happily pay to have the painting back.
I would suspect internal theft and deterrence thereof is a big thing for any shipping company. Not to mention false claims which they’d want to disprove. Keep in touch with them for sure, but give them some time if they indicate they’re actively investigating. For 2k insured value, if they do find the culprit they’d likely involve law enforcement.
Many UPS stores are independently owned. I would imagine that if someone wanted to steal something out of a package, they could find a place to do so within the UPS store that wasn't under surveillance.
@toledo any tips for dealing with UPS? I am dealing directly with the shipper at this point; my daughter submitted the claim and photos. It took a while for UPS to receive the photos as she would send all in one email, and then days later UPS would said they couldn't see them. After she had the baby, she ended up sending all 6 picture of the tubing in separate emails. They finally have every thing and were sending it along to the shipper. When I spoke with him on Friday, he said he had just received what he needed. Sounds like UPS searched for the painting and did not find it. The claim info I see online is listed as damaged which seems odd, but the shipper said that was correct. I was out visiting the baby all last week, so hope to go by the UPS store on Friday; due to work I can't get there any sooner. Maybe being there in person will help, but not holding my breath.
I am sure this will not work out well for us as it will be a he said, she said. The little person rarely beat the big corporation.
I would think that would help you a lot with your claim.
I would not be counting on any surveillance at a UPS store (independently owned). Some places do have surveillance; luxury department stores apprently have protocols for handling more expensive merchandise and surveillance in their shipping rooms because some thieving employees used to "legitimize" fake goods: in the shipping room, someone would swap that real Gucci bag for a fake one and ship the fakery to the customer. Then the thieves would sell the real deal on a resale site, and the customer will have to prove to the store that they have not swapped the item themselves. I once ordered a black designer dress that was deeply discounted, and the package came in with a black nightgown inside, even though the shipping slip said there was that black designer dress in the package. Took it to Neiman and got a few glaring stares from the clerk who refunded my money and said they would look into who could have possibly done it.
So then the question would be why.
Even along the delivery chain I would just doubt someone would open it and take it not knowing if it had any "street" value. Yes, I am actually giving some credit to the potential thieves. 🤔.
Once again, once it got to your hometown.. Why would they take itt. So one thing you can look at is the timings of the transfers. Just bring up your ups and follow the handoffs. It might be very different for me since being in Chicago it's a main hub and things get timed stamped pretty quickly and loaded to the delivery trucks. So if it comes in at 2:05 am, it's like on its next move within like 15 minutes. So...
See once it started on its travel were there any places that it just sat for an extended period of time? That's where I would look. If it was accepted and like immediately time stamped to a new location then there would not be time to do anything there. Of course they can always scan it for the time stamp then take the painting but I am giving them to much credit at that point.
Really sorry that this happened with the other life changes in your life. Congrats on your new grand baby 👶. Hope it's happy and healthy.
I am sure it was internal theft as it was in my new state where the box went missing.
Some jerk stole it.
I would start searching online for similar works, maybe his estate can give you a valuation?