VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – Imagine not being able to get your mail delivered since Christmas. That’s what happened to people at an apartment complex in Virginia Beach.
Someone vandalized their mailboxes back in December and they hadn’t been fixed until they called 10 On Your Side.
Becky Roberts was relieved last Wednesday to see a repair man with the postal service finally working to fix their mailboxes.
Some of the boxes at Brookside Condominiums near Baxter Road and Independence Boulevard in Virginia Beach were vandalized the week of Christmas, and despite several claims being filed by residents, including Roberts, the boxes still weren’t repaired.
“I just figured a couple weeks, January they said they were investigating and then well get them taken care of for you,” Roberts said, “and I guess we just got put on the back burner for awhile, but sometimes I guess you got to take other measures to get things done.”
10 on Your Side spoke with Roberts and Susan Taylor about the damaged boxes two weeks ago.
Taylor is a performer and said she’s missed out on some job opportunities because she wasn’t getting mail. Taylor, Roberts and other neighbors are now getting their current mail and mail from the past several months.
“February, March, April – even had a last tenant that never even got personal property tax or anything, and it came in the mail now,” Roberts said.
Roberts has owned a unit at Brookside Condominiums for 30 years. She rents it out and told us she was worried that not being able to get mail would be a deterrent to potential tenants.
“It was kind of embarrassing to tell them but when he signed his new lease on Friday I said here’s your mailbox key!” Roberts said.
Handing over the keys – thanks to 10 On Your Side.
“We just thank y’all so much for 10 On Your Side for coming out because we were just at our wits end,” Roberts said. “We didn’t know what else to do, you know, so if you want to get things done, call 10 On Your Side.”
Roberts said the apartment complex is working with the postal service to buy sturdier boxes to prevent any break-ins from happening in the future.