That is horrible! You have to be devastated. My husband used to work for the USPS back when nothing like this ever happened. I wouldn't give up either. I would take a photo to the USPS and tell them to search for your quilt. I doubt it was a local who stole it. Chances are something happened at the sorting facility. And it may not have been malicious. As was stated, this could have happened by a machine ripping open the package and the contents separated from the box with the address label. It could be in a lost pile somewhere in one of the facilities enroute. Don't assume someone is an unscrupulous thief, although that is a possibility. I'm so sorry this happened to you.