Mailman leaves pickup slip instead of parcel — so frustrated customer chases him down

Josh Kralka was working from home, taking part in a virtual meeting when he got a notification on his phone that there was some activity at his front door. 

He checked the video feed from his doorbell camera and saw a Canada Post employee walk up to the house and slip something into the mailbox.

Kralka, who often works from his home in Red Deer, Alta., waited for his meeting to end and then ran up from his basement office to retrieve what he thought would be the package.

The notice said his parcel would be ready for pickup at a drug store the next day.

Kralka was dumbfounded as to why the carrier didn't bother knocking or ringing the bell to see if someone was home. There were two vehicles in the driveway and his wife was home, too.

"I was kind of confused," he said. "When I went outside and I looked in the mailbox and I thought the parcel would be too big to fit in … there was a pre-written delivery slip."

Kralka's delivery headache comes amid continued scrutiny of Canada Post's finances and business model, with one expert saying situations like this speak to some of the challenges the Crown corporation faces.

"I thought it was pretty strange," Kralka said of his experience.

And frustrating, he says.

He believes the notice was written before the carrier arrived.

"That's what I mean being frustrated … he didn't write his slip at my door. I have video footage of him walking up with everything already in hand as he came up the driveway and slipped it in the box."

With the notice in hand, Kralka jumped into his car, determined to track down the carrier and hopefully his package. It didn't take long.

The Canada Post delivery van was parked just a few streets over. 

Kralka pulled up behind the van, jumped out and asked why his package wasn't dropped off — and why the carrier didn't make any effort to see if someone was home.