'It Was Heartbreaking': Grove Jewelry Store Owner Says $50,000 Package From UPS Arrived Empty

A Jewelry store owner in Grove is frustrated after he says he received an empty package that was supposed to have more than $50,000 worth of his customers’ jewelry inside.

He’s hoping to get money from UPS to pay back his customers, but UPS tells him he didn’t have the package insured for enough money.

Steve McFall, the owner of Brothers’ Jewelry in Grove, says he’s shipped jewelry this way for eight years and had no problems, but now one lost package has caused a huge problem for his business.

McFall says there were supposed to be items for 21 customers in the box worth more than $50,000.

“It was heartbreaking for us because most of these people are friends,” said McFall. “And they’ve become family over the years we’ve been here. They’ve trusted us with their most valued possessions.”

He says he now has to come up with the money out of his pocket to pay his customers, of course, some of those items are so sentimental, they’re irreplaceable.

“There was one instance that the son took it off of his dead dad’s hand right as he died,” said McFall. “Another lady, her mother gave it to her before she died.”

UPS sent us a statement that says in full:

“Delivering on our commitments is UPS's most important priority. We take customer concerns seriously and we're investigating the situation."

On background: We contacted the customer and he shared the tracking as well as his concerns. We are still investigating this matter internally. The package was shipped without additional insurance, which is available for high-value packages. As a result, the package was valued at $100 plus the cost of shipping.

Please see page 121 of the UPS Shipping Guide section [Declared Value for Carriage] for additional information on insuring high-value packages.”

McFall says insurance is steep for packages of that size and he doesn’t feel like it should be needed if it doesn’t leave the UPS system.

“Well, if you’re going to send something valuable through UPS, make sure you check on the insurance and how well they’re going to pay you on the insurance,” said McFall.

McFall has this message for whoever took the jewelry.

“Well Karma is going to come around,” said McFall. “And when it does, I hope it bites you in the butt really well. It always comes around. Whatever goes around, comes around.”

McFall says now, his business has hired someone to drive the jewelry back and forth.