USPS investigating 19 undelivered packages found dumped in trash on South Side

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A Chicago alderman said the United States Postal Service is investigating after 19 undelivered packages were found in the garbage on the South Side.

Alderman Matthew O'Shea, 19th Ward, tweeted about the incident Tuesday afternoon. He said a resident of his ward was taking her trash out around 4 p.m. when she found undelivered 19 packages in her garbage can.

She brought the packages into her house, reported it on social media, and reached out to the US Postal Service. A Postal Inspector came to her home to retrieve the packages, O'Shea said.

O'Shea said most of the packages appeared to be holiday gifts and the addresses on them were for the village of Evergreen Park. He said the post office told him they will be delivered Wednesday.

"Chicagoans are frustrated with sub-standard mail service and poor management," O'Shea said in his tweet.

Ald. O'Shea said that dumping mail in the garbage is a federal offense and so a federal investigation will be completed by the United States postal police.