By NANCY PARADIS
© St. Petersburg Times, published May 18, 2000
After living in Spring Hill for 18 years, my wife and I moved back to Erie, Pa., because of her health. She wanted to get back to family.
As we were preparing to move, I saw a large yellow truck parked near the supermarket where we did our shopping. On the side was written "We will pack and move you anywhere."
I called the number and spoke to David Cummings, the owner, who said he could pack my belongings and move me back to Erie. Dave and his people did a nice job of packing the things we were shipping back.
He did not use the yellow truck with his ads painted over it. He hired young men to move me.
Our delivery was delayed when one young man broke his ankle and had to return to Florida. Several weeks later a couple of young men delivered our boxes. There were supposed to be 52 boxes, but we received only 51.
I called Dave after we opened the boxes and told him that the box that was missing was one that he himself had packed. He and I had discussed the contents, many photo albums.
Some I don't care about, but three were from my time in the army. The photos were from basic training and action in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. There were also pictures from Italy to the Philippines and to Japan via the Panama Canal as well as some of myself and my buddies at Hiroshima in October 1995.
Dave does not put much monetary value on these albums, but ask anyone who was in World War II if he does not cherish pictures taken at that time.
I offered Dave a $300 reward if he could locate that missing box. He has ignored every phone call and three registered letters.
Would you please try to get a response? I would greatly appreciate it. Ernest Johnson
Response: David Cummings, owner of Pak Mail in Spring Hill, said he is sorry that the box with your photo albums was lost.
You signed for your delivery at the time it was made, and it was only after nearly 30 days had passed that you alerted him that a box was missing.
He said he contacted the carrier as soon as he found out. He also called the customers from the other stops on that truck's route in case the box had been delivered inadvertently to them. He said boxes often remain unpacked until a long time after a move, and there is still a chance that it could turn up.
Cummings said he has spoken to you several times. He wishes it could have been another box.
He said that, as an ex-Marine, he understands the value you place on the pictures from your time in the military, but the box itself was insured for $100 because that is the value his insurance company places on paperwork and pictures.
He said he understands that you feel that the worth is much more, but there is nothing further he can do except continue to offer you the $100.
We would like to add that we are also sorry about your lost pictures. It is generally a good idea to carry such irreplaceable items with one when moving, if at all possible.
Given that $100 appears to be the most that you will get, we suggest that you consider accepting it. Let Cummings know of your decision.
I have been trying for several months to straighten out an order I placed on Nov. 20 with Haband for a pair of gray suede moccasins. In December I received a letter stating that the moccasins were back-ordered and giving a new shipping date of Jan. 9. Letters I have sent since then requesting the status of this order remain ignored. Mrs. Martin Hansen
Response: Irene Faber, customer service representative with Haband in Oakland, N.J., said the company's records show that the shipment of gray moccasins came in on Dec. 29 and that the pair you ordered was shipped to you at that time. Apparently your order was lost, so a refund check for $9.98 will be processed and sent to you. You should have received it by now.
Action solves problems and gets answers for you. If you have a question, or your own attempts to resolve a consumer complaint have failed, write Times Action, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731, or call your Action number, 893-8171, or, outside of Pinellas, (800) 333-7505, ext. 8171, to leave a recorded request.
Requests will be accepted only by mail or voice mail; calls cannot be returned. We will not be responsible for personal documents, so please send only photocopies. If your complaint concerns merchandise ordered by mail, we need copies of both sides of your canceled check.
We may require additional information or prefer to reply by mail; therefore, readers must provide a full mailing address, including ZIP code. Names of letter writers will not be omitted except in unusual circumstances. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.