160 free P.O. boxes locked without notice, told to pay: Hamilton City residents

People in Hamilton City are outraged saying the post office locked their P.O.

Boxes - keeping them from getting their mail.

New at 5:30 - people in hamilton city are outraged -- saying the post office locked their p-o boxes - keeping them from getting their mail.

Action news now reporter jafet serrato shows us the dilemma.

"what are you encountering?"

"so a few weeks ago i think it was october second we went to go check our local post office and our box was locked."

"they didn't tell us anything they just locked it!"

(spanish subtitles) "my box was locked" "you're locked out!"

"they locked it and gave it to someone else."

(spanish subtitles) 5 folks in hamilton city say their post office locked them out of their p-o boxes.

"the timing just did not seem right."

Hilary crosby has lived in here for nearly 20 years.

And if you look around... you won't see many mailboxes in this glenn county town.

"we don't get mail delivered to our home."

This post office form... guarantees people a free p-o box as long as they can present "two forms of i- d."

"managed to do it for 17 years but this year it was a problem."

A problem because crosby says employees told her they never received her proof of id.

That's when she says they locked her out.

Crosby says she had pay 50 bucks for the same form she turned in earlier this year.

"i asked for proof that i had received and they said its their word against mine."

Some say they didn't get a notice at all.

"we got those every march and april usually.

Nothing came in our mail box."

"i turned in the proof of residency form.

They don't give me any proof any acknowledgment that they received it."

I took everyone's concerns straight to the post master.

(nats: calling number) (nats: sorry im not available) "hi this is jafet from action news now" after several calls and emails - they finally got back to me saying in part - "the hamilton city post office will open the post office boxes that were closed and give the customers until november 15 to update their information.

Customers who's locks have already been changed will be required to pay a $50 lock change fee."

The post office says the pandemic delayed the changing of the locks until recently because the locks were on back order.

"i just don't know to handle this.

I don't feel its right.

I feel like its a money grab from the post office as well as voter suppression."

We reached out to the post office in chico and an employee there tells us the p-o boxes in hamilton city are supposed to be free as long as residents provide that record wildfires