Michael Oreb couldn’t wait for the United States Postal Service to deliver his 1938 German black forest cuckoo clock. His grandparents had one, his dad has one, and now he would, too.
“I tracked it all the way from Pennsylvania to Bell Gardens to here,” said Oreb.
On the lookout for the delivery Tuesday, Oreb eyed his surveillance video but was shocked when he saw the delivery.
“I looked and he pulled up, threw it (the box) over the fence and then got in the van and drove off. I went out there and picked up the thing and he was already up the street,” said Oreb.
“I looked and he pulled up, threw it (the box) over the fence and then got in the van and drove off. I went out there and picked up the thing and he was already up the street,” said Oreb.
“I pretty much figured that it was going to be damaged from the distance that he’d thrown it,” Oreb said as he opened the box and found things were a little cuckoo with the clock.
“The chains no longer work. I guess they're jammed up in the back. And one of them is off the rails. And the second hand is catawampus, it's loose. But I don't know what the other ones do but I don't know what else is broke until I take it in and have them look at it,” said Oreb.
Oreb said he immediately called the postal service to tell them what he caught on video. He says a helpful company representative was at his door in 10 minutes, but he wouldn’t let her take the clock.
“I will take it in and find me a repairman who works on antique clocks and have them repair it and I’ll send them the bill,” said Oreb.
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USPS released the following statement, “The U.S. Postal Service was dismayed to see the video of one of our employee throwing a parcel over a fence. That does not represent the kind of service we strive to provide our customers. ... This matter is currently being investigated to determine the appropriate actions to be taken with regards to the employee and our customer.”
Oreb doesn’t think the driver should lose his job.
“I think he should be reprimanded - maybe put through some more training and stuff like that 'cause you never know what's inside the packages when you see them,'“ he said.
Oreb installed the surveillance camera system a week ago, galvanized after the Hollywood arsonist targeted nearby homes.
“My wife didn’t feel safe ‘cuz we’ve only been here 7 months," he said. "So far, it’s worked out well.”
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