7 On Your Side gets woman refund after package stolen from front yard

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (KGO) -- A gift meant to bring peace and relaxation turned into a source of tension and frustration for a San Rafael woman. She turned to 7 On Your Side for help.

An ornamental garden fountain arrived without a key piece and then an apparent thief made replacing the part even more difficult.

Barbara Schwartz loves the solitude of her front porch. Her children gave her a fountain to enjoy there, but it remains dry because it came without the water pump.

Schwartz called the company and they sent a new pump. "And it never showed up," she said.

Federal Express says its records show it delivered the pump but Schwartz suspects a thief stole the package after the driver left it on her driveway in plain view.

"I was shocked. We lived here for 32 years and I've never had anything stolen but things have been put right by the front door," she said.

The doorway is hidden from the street and Schwartz says she's never had problems when packages are left there.

She filed a claim with FedEx and sent a receipt for the fountain.

FedEx asked the fountain company to agree not to file a claim as well and the company says it sent an email making that promise.

But Schwartz says FedEx told her it never received it and then requested she ask the company to send it again.

"I said, you know what, I've jumped through all your hoops. I've been in touch with 7 On Your Side and 7 On Your Side is on my side now," she said.

A week later, FedEx sent her a check to replace the missing pump.

It told us by phone, "We resolved the issue with the customer via customer service. We don't speak about specific customer transactions."

"It's so peaceful. It sounds so lovely when it's running," Schwartz says. "It warms my heart to know that in America, we can get such satisfaction."