Cathedral City man asks for help in getting busted neighborhood mailbox replaced

Rudy Velasco looked at the busted mailbox on his street in Cathedral City. He says it was smashed almost three months ago, when a branch fell on the box while a neighbor was cutting down a tree.

“I want to see about getting the box replaced. I didn’t damage it. I don’t think I should have to pay for it,” said Velasco.

Velasco says after the box was damaged, the neighbor put straps around it, and later, a mail carrier worked on the back of the box, but Velasco says the box is still not secure.

In fact, he says the door for his slot now only hangs on one hinge.

“It was damaged, where it was bent, it was tweaked, with a branch falling on it,” said the retiree.

The homeowner says he went to the post office in Cathedral City, and says a clerk told him it would take up to 8 months to have the box replaced. Velasco says he also contacted the Postmaster, Gloria Arellano, leaving two voice messages for her, and says he sent her an email.

Not satisfied, he contacted News Channel 3.

“We have a mailbox for our convenience here, and I think we should be able to use it, instead of having to go to the post office,” said Velasco.

After speaking with Velasco, we spoke with a supervisor at the post office off-camera, and we spoke with U.S. Postal Service spokesperson Eva Jackson by phone, who said, in part, “we are sorry for the inconvenience caused by the broken box, and we will work to replace it as soon as possible”.

The local supervisor told News Channel 3 it could take up to “a month-and-a-half”.

“Oh, it would mean everything, more peace of mind, and secure mail, and to not have to deal with it,” said Velasco.

Velasco says he will keep us posted, on when, and if, the post box is replaced.