Is DeJoy putting padlocks on mailboxes in California?

[FelineOverlord]

This tweet is going viral.

Link to tweet

[FelineOverlord]

1. Is DeJoy putting padlocks on mailboxes in California?

Link to tweet

[ColinC]

2. Biden needs to fire all of the trump appointed post office board members.

Yesterday.

[ColinC]

14. Um.Except I do. And so does Rep. pascrell.

https://pascrell.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4593

U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today wrote to President Joe Biden calling on him to fire the entire United States Postal Service (USPS) Board of Governors for their silence and complicity in Donald Trump and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s deliberate campaign to subvert vote-by-mail elections and destroy the Post Office.

“After several years of unprecedented sabotage, the United States Postal Service is teetering on the brink of collapse. Through the devastating arson of the Trump regime, the USPS Board of Governors sat silent. Their dereliction cannot now be forgotten. Therefore, I urge you to fire the entire Board of Governors and nominate a new slate of leaders to begin the hard work of rebuilding our Postal Service for the next century,” Pascrell writes President Biden.

I never said anything about firing dejoy. I said fire the boardmembers. If you didn't know what I meant, that's surprising.

[Retrograde]

3. California's a big place

with a lot of people and consequently a lot of mail boxes. I can attest that the one on my corner is the same as it's always been, as are the ones at the post office downtown.

It would help if these scare tweets included a few details, like where and when this supposedly happened.

[demmiblue]

6. Yeah, no kidding.

From the replies:

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Locks on post office drop boxes meant to deter theft (2020)

CLAIM: Locked mailboxes in front of a post office in Burbank, California, are proof that massive voter suppression is underway ahead of the election.

AP’S ASSESSMENT: False. The boxes were locked to prevent theft, postal officials said.

THE FACTS: Social media users are sharing photos of locked mailboxes in front of the Downtown Station post office in Burbank, California, suggesting the move is to suppress voting in upcoming elections.

“Spread this far and wide! This is massive voter suppression happening in front of us! The Post Office in Burbank, CA. All outdoor boxes locked shut. The entrance to the Post Office is locked and you can’t mail a letter?” the post on Facebook with the photo of the locked boxes said.

The USPS told The Associated Press that anti-theft locking devices were placed on the boxes in front of the Burbank Post Office to deter mail theft. The are locked during the hours the post office is closed.

“The use of Collection Box Anti-theft locking devices, such as at the Burbank Post Office, have been in place since approximately 2016 and this device was developed as a mail theft deterrent,” said Evelina Ramirez, a USPS spokeswoman.

The locks are placed on the boxes after the last collection of the day and removed at the start of then next business day. The locks do not prevent people from depositing mail. Ramirez said openings on the back of the box allow for mail to be deposited into the collection box, while the locks on the front are designed to keep mail from being removed .

https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-9272180331

[Sympthsical]

12. I did not know about the openings on the back

(these were drive-up boxes I experienced this with).

I feel like a proper dumb ass.

Then again, I wasn't about to get out of my car and investigate a mail box.

Still.

At least slightly dumb ass.

[FirstLight]

5. I keep thinking about all those displaced by fires, we're not getting mail...

and even if we're home by election day, mail is rerouted...

just a huge clusterfuck here in CA on all levels

Im seriously considering a move... or just going mobile...

[Mr.Bill]

8. I'm in California and when there is an evacuation

for a prolonged time due to fire those people's mail is sent to a nearby post office and people are told they can pick it up there. Same way for people whose homes are burned. The mail doesn't just disappear.

[chowder66]

7. California does this due to theft and vandalism. It is typically done after hours.

So my question would be when was this picture taken and where?

Please don't jump to conclusions just yet.

I'm saying this as a resident and someone who's first returned ballot went missing.
I hate Dejoy but I'm not jumping on this unless there is more to this story with actual sourcing. Make that good sourcing.

[Hoyt]

11. Don't go screwing up a good conspiracy with facts.

[chowder66]

13. I'll try harder next time. : )

[mahina]

9. His dept is raising costs on independent operators is small towns

We are losing our small neighborhood post office because the USPS is increasing their fees.

They sell stamps and postage for the same route as the post office does. The only other revenue is post office boxes. How are they supposed to stay open? Well that is the point, make it less convenient to work with them so as to shovel business over to its competitors, then call it uncompetitive and close it so it will cost 15$ to mail a damn letter

This MF has got to go.

[Sympthsical]

10. Twitter freaks out before checking basic facts?

The hell, you say.

"Mailbox closed because it's a holiday," doesn't get as many retweets or as much panic.

I also like the idea that this would somehow go unnoticed or unremarked upon in Super Democratic California before now.

We've had these for quite awhile. Usually in areas where there's a lot of theft. Before starting to work from home, there was a post office on my commuter path to work. It's in a . . . not so great neighborhood. Sometimes there were locks. Sometimes not. I just stopped bringing mail with me to drop off during commute, because I never knew. It seemed totally arbitrary.

Someone finally clued me in that the locks are there if the office is closed. Ohhhh.

But sure. Let's just go with massive conspiracy from the very top. Again, in Super Democratic California.

[Blue Owl]

15. I've never seen a USPS mailbox locked, ever

If it's a holiday or a Sunday, sure they don't collect the mail from the box. But locking it? I have never seen that, ever, in my neck of the woods. And wouldn't surprise me if DeJoystick enacted some kind of bullshit law to lock mailboxes in heavily Democratic areas during elections.