Package theifs

[Elow]

Ive had a set of wooden triggers and paddles, valves, and a mouthpiece stolen off my porch, within the same week. Ive never had this happen, and im assuming its because they think its christmas gifts. What am i supposed to do? Just not order anything until after christmas? Can the police do anything? In total it was about $550 worth of stuff, and i dont imagine they even know what half the stuff is. All i can imagine is some idiot smoking weed out of a griego mouthpiece.

[Kingfan]

That really stinks. Yeah, what is the typical thief gonna do with specialized trombone equipment?

I had a buddy who kept getting hit with porch pirates. He packaged up the dog doodoo from his yard in an Amazon box and put it on the porch. Yes, it was picked up!

[sacfxdx]

You may have to ship to a different location. Maybe a mailbox store. I think some UPS places will let you deliver (UPS) stuff there for pickup.

Some folks will steal ANYTHING. It'll go to a pawn shop.

[Elow]

Time to go to the one pawn shop in town

[BGuttman]

Since you work part time at the music store, ask if they will allow you to have it shipped to them for you to pick up when you come in to work.

Unfortunately, there is no recourse for porch pirates. Best you can do is require signature on delivery but that means somebody has to be home to receive the shipment.

I suspect porch piracy will subside once the economy recovers and people are back to work.

[Posaunus]

Unfortunately, there is no recourse for porch pirates. Best you can do is require signature on delivery but that means somebody has to be home to receive the shipment.

Unfortunately, that doesn't always work either. We've had both UPS and FedEx drivers "forge" our signatures and just leave signature-required packages by our front door. I guess they think that we're in a "safe" neighborhood!

[Doubler]

A thief will steal a penny for the satisfaction of knowing they deprived someone else of something that was theirs.

[spencercarran]

Unfortunately, there is no recourse for porch pirates. Best you can do is require signature on delivery but that means somebody has to be home to receive the shipment.

Unfortunately, that doesn't always work either. We've had both UPS and FedEx drivers "forge" our signatures and just leave signature-required packages by our front door. I guess they think that we're in a "safe" neighborhood!

Yep, amazon once left a package on the sidewalk near my apartment (on the south side of Chicago) and took a picture of it there

Earlier this spring a mouthpiece vanished - I had long since resigned myself to the loss, and then months later the building's maintenance guy stopped me in the hallway because he'd found it (in the torn package, which still had legible address). Someone stole the package, opened it, and then ditched it idk where.

[StephenK]

Signing for packages has stopped during covid here in the UK.

[OldBrass]

Many RiteAid stores have lockers and counter pick-up for safe delivery.

[harrisonreed]

Is it illegal to bait human beings with Amazon packages attached to some sort of trap mechanism? I'm picturing like a trap door, and the perpetrator falls into a 2.5 foot wide tube that is too narrow to sit down in.

You can guess where it would go if it was a horror movie, but in my world the tube is immediately rolled out to the police station.

[ngrinder]

This has been a problem in NYC ever since I've been here, not living in a fancy doorman building. It's a HUGE DRAG, and feels so violating. I set notifications every time my package is delivered, and have my partner or neighbor pick things up as soon as possible (if I'm not around). Not much else you can do besides that and making sure the shipper takes out good insurance. Sorry that happened to you.

[RConrad]

Yep, amazon once left a package on the sidewalk near my apartment (on the south side of Chicago) and took a picture of it there

Earlier this spring a mouthpiece vanished - I had long since resigned myself to the loss, and then months later the building's maintenance guy stopped me in the hallway because he'd found it (in the torn package, which still had legible address). Someone stole the package, opened it, and then ditched it idk where.

I'm also on the southside of Chicago but they'll straight up refuse to deliver packages to my building if someone doesn't open the door for my apartment building. When my wife ordered her Boosted board Fedex wouldn't even attempt delivery and we had to go to their local distribution side to pick it up. That being said about a year ago someone did manage to steal about five boxes from my building even though they were inside. Neighbors have been doing a better job of moving any packages into the stairway outside of view since.

In my opinion the best thing to do is to have them delivered to an alternative site for the time being. Either see if you can have stuff sent to your work place or contact your local UPS and Fedex stores and see if it's alright to have those packages delivered there. My wife has done this a few times with Fedex and it's worked out just fine. Then when you have things shipped ask whomever you're ordering from who they ship through. You can also ask a shipper to require a package be held somewhere but the shipping company may charge for that.

[Arthurtwoshedsjackson]

In NJ:

https://www.nj.com/politics/2020/12/nj- ... demic.html

“The Assembly Judiciary Committee on Monday approved a bill (A3870) making it a third-degree crime to steal a package valued at less than $75,000 that is delivered to someone’s home. These types of crimes are punishable by three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.”

“Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak, D-Middlesex, said in a statement. “Taking delivery packages from a person’s property is just as invasive as breaking into a home to steal them.””

[BGuttman]

Bravo New Jersey. May be a problem identifying the felons, though. Most porch pirates don't leave calling cards.

I suspect the problem will diminish when (if) we get past the COVID shutdowns. And by this I don't mean ignoring the virus; just hoping we can get enough vaccinated to keep its effect minimal. Less impetus to shady means to make money when honest work is available.

[Elow]

Well, the trombone lords have answered my prayers, a box and its contents was left in my driveway. Im assuming thrown out while in a car because everything was outside of the box and on the pavement. I would have preferred to get the other packages back but oh well. I got my paddles and triggers and im in love, i think im gonna make a post about them. I think im gonna set up a trap with a camera to try and see who it is, because it doesnt make sense for someone to drive back and return it

[ChadA]

Is it illegal to bait human beings with Amazon packages attached to some sort of trap mechanism? I'm picturing like a trap door, and the perpetrator falls into a 2.5 foot wide tube that is too narrow to sit down in.

You can guess where it would go if it was a horror movie, but in my world the tube is immediately rolled out to the police station.

This YouTuber had a great response:

No trapdoor, just a dummy package with cameras, GPS, speakers, fart spray, and a massive glitter bomb.

[BGuttman]

... it doesnt make sense for someone to drive back and return it

They probably couldn't get any money for it. I'm surprised it wasn't just chucked.

[glenp]

I'm surprised it wasn't just chucked.

A thief with a conscience??

[RConrad]

This YouTuber had a great response:

No trapdoor, just a dummy package with cameras, GPS, speakers, fart spray, and a massive glitter bomb.

He just posted another one.

As a future engineer I really like this solution but I think the guy who rigged a package on his porch with shotgun blanks is probably more cost effective.

[JohnL]

As a future engineer I really like this solution but I think the guy who rigged a package on his porch with shotgun blanks is probably more cost effective.

The problem with blanks is that there's still the potential for the wadding to hit someone with a dangerous amount of kinetic energy - with the result that you get sued and/or charged. At that point, it's a good deal less cost effective.

In all seriousness - blanks can be dangerous at close range.

[RConrad]

The problem with blanks is that there's still the potential for the wadding to hit someone with a dangerous amount of kinetic energy - with the result that you get sued and/or charged. At that point, it's a good deal less cost effective.

In all seriousness - blanks can be dangerous at close range.

Indeed, hopefully anyone that does takes care to not endanger that person.

[SimmonsTrombone]

My post office allows one to sign up, then use the PO street address with UPS and FedEx and the PO will put the package in your box or one of their lock boxes. I haven’t tried it, because I don’t have a problem here, but it seems worth looking in to.

[harrisonreed]

The problem with blanks is that there's still the potential for the wadding to hit someone with a dangerous amount of kinetic energy - with the result that you get sued and/or charged. At that point, it's a good deal less cost effective.

In all seriousness - blanks can be dangerous at close range.

Indeed, hopefully anyone that does takes care to not endanger that person.

I could see someone getting sued for firing off blanks.

"Boo hoo, my hearing was damaged as I was stealing this person's property, and now I'm triggered and emotionally scarred for life"

[JohnL]

I could see someone getting sued for firing off blanks.

"Boo hoo, my hearing was damaged as I was stealing this person's property, and now I'm triggered and emotionally scarred for life"

More like the wadding hit 'em in the eye or some such. If you want something that goes BANG, there are better options than a blank cartridge.

[AndrewMeronek]

Is it illegal to bait human beings with Amazon packages attached to some sort of trap mechanism?

If it can cause injury, yes.

The best thing is probably to get a security camera with a motion detector, and store the video on a hard drive somewhere that isn't easily accessible. Not cheap, but if you're shipping things that cost a lot and having thievery problems, it'll probably pay for itself.

[MagnumH]

This YouTuber had a great response:

No trapdoor, just a dummy package with cameras, GPS, speakers, fart spray, and a massive glitter bomb.

He just posted another one.

As a future engineer I really like this solution but I think the guy who rigged a package on his porch with shotgun blanks is probably more cost effective.

I came here specifically to share Mark Rober's glitterbomb solutions and I'm delighted you both beat me to it already!

As a serious fix, a visible security camera is at least some kind of deterrent, and gives you something to send on to the cops if it should happen again.

Also, I can't help myself - "thief" or "thieves".

[AndrewMeronek]

Watching that most recent Rober video - great stuff.

Those 2 dudes driving around looking for a bathroom at least seem to understand the consequences of what they're doing. So many of these people just laughing, as if it just doesn't connect that they just got caught committing a felony, what is wrong with them???