New Zealand Post announced yesterday Queenstown's lost mail will be delivered on Sunday - along with an apology.
More than 17,000 unopened items of mail have been handed over by Queenstown Police to New Zealand Post and will be delivered by a crew of 10 posties to residents in Fernhill, Arrowtown and Lake Hayes Estate on Sunday.
Along with the mail, posties will also hand-deliver a letter of apology from the company's general manager, Toby Beaglehole.
Tens of thousands of items of mail addressed to properties in the three areas were allegedly stolen by a postie.
The mail was then allegedly stored by the postie for as long as two years.
The 32-year-old woman, who has name suppression, was arrested and charged with theft by a person in a special relationship.
Queenstown police had earlier this month found more than 17,000 items of mail stored in her home in Frankton and also in a storage unit in Arrowtown.
The postie will appear in the Queenstown District Court on Monday facing a maximum jail term of seven years.
Police may still lay more charges connected with opened mail they have found.
On Sunday, New Zealand Post will operate "special postal runs", which will involve two vans and 10 uniformed postal workers delivering the mail door-to door.
Occupants not at home when the postie calls will not receive their mail that day - they will have to arrange an alternate time for delivery or pick-up.
For those who have moved, their mail will be returned to New Zealand Post Queenstown office.
New Zealand Post could not provide a cost for the total delivery yesterday.
