Assault rifle shipped by Richfield man lost by Akron post office

AKRON, Ohio - Kevin Gerenda of Richfield has been living with worry for several weeks, wondering who might have their hands on his AR-15 assault rifle. Gerenda attempted to sell the weapon to a licensed Philadelphia gun dealer back on Dec. 6. He packed it up and shipped it third-class via Akron's West Exchange Street Post Office.

Gerenda claims he told postal workers he was sending a weapon, but said he was never asked if he wanted insurance on the rifle. Gerenda was given a tracking number and assumed the AR-15 was safely on its way. 

Days later he was shocked to discover the assault rifle never made it to its destination. PayPal quickly credited the Philadelphia buyer his $600 purchase price.

"I made several calls to the U.S. Postal Service, but I was getting very few answers," said Gerenda. "Not only was I out $600, that assault rifle is out there somewhere, and the weapon is registered in my name."

5 On Your Side contacted USPS, telling officials about the lost assault rifle. USPS quickly responded to the case. Postal officials told NewsChannel5 Gerenda never told staff members at the Akron post office he was shipping a weapon.

"Firearms are required to be shipped via Express, Registered, or Insured mail," said USPS spokesman David Van Allen. "The customer did not mail with any of those options, which indicates he did not inform the clerk that he was mailing a firearm. The clerks working the day he sent the item are well trained and professional. Everyone mailing a parcel is asked if the parcel contains anything potentially hazardous. Until today, no one in Akron was aware that this missing parcel contained a firearm."

But Gerenda said he explicitly told the Akron postal clerk he was shipping a weapon, and days later warned the staff the assault rifle was missing. Gerenda showed 5 On Your Side a copy of the mail theft report he filed online back on Jan. 6. Because of our NewsChannel5 investigation, the USPS launched a nationwide search for the potentially hazardous weapon.

"The Mail Recovery Center in Atlanta, Georgia is treating this as a "hot" item and is already searching for the item," said Van Allen. "The Warrendale, Pennsylvania Network Distribution Center, where the parcel would have gone via parcel post for processing, is also searching for the item."

USPS told NewsChannel5 the Postal Inspection Service and the Office of the Inspector General are also conducting their own investigations.

Meanwhile, Gerenda said he's praying his assault rifle will soon be found.

"It could be used for murder. It could be against someone else. If it's out there, who knows what it's capable of doing," said Gerenda.