"Couple leaves box of dog poop for front porch package thief"

[RR_Security]

Hee, hee; this has kinda gone viral. Happened in D.C., and the first link about it that I saw was from a Knoxville newspaper: <http://www.knoxnews.com/news/nation-...-package-thief>

I think we had a discussion here about parcel thieves a few months ago, and this might have been among the suggested remedies. Like a lot of things, it might not be a deterrent to somebody stealing something once, but it might reduce repeat offenses.

The only way it could have been better was with some kind of launcher upon opening, a video camera, and a GPS tracker in the box. "Responding units, bring gloves, and maybe at least Tyvek covers for your shoes."

[JustAJ]

This is one of those where it sounds like a great idea until you think it through all the way. The guy who took the package clearly doesn't adhere to the rule of law. So in an attempt to give him his comeuppance, you stage a box full of poop, which he steals. Do you not remember that he knows where you live? And clearly you are employed, so you cannot be home all day every day. There absolutely nothing stopping this waste of space from coming back and escalating the problem. "****ed off criminals" are high on the list of folks who you could reasonably expect to be very vindictive. Just a thought.

[Carbonfiberfoot]

This is one of those where it sounds like a great idea until you think it through all the way. The guy who took the package clearly doesn't adhere to the rule of law. So in an attempt to give him his comeuppance, you stage a box full of poop, which he steals. Do you not remember that he knows where you live? And clearly you are employed, so you cannot be home all day every day. There absolutely nothing stopping this waste of space from coming back and escalating the problem. "****ed off criminals" are high on the list of folks who you could reasonably expect to be very vindictive. Just a thought.

It's a shame that they can't leave him a packaged claymore to address that issue...

[tanksoldier]

Do you not remember that he knows where you live?

...and if you video him and turn it over to the police, he knows where you live.

If you do anything at all, including nothing, he knows where you live.

So the "solution" to crime is obviously to do nothing, keep your head down and HOPE they pass you by the second, third or one hundredth time.

[ArmyVet]

I would like to report a package stolen from my residence.

Okay, what were the contents and how much were they worth?

[CCCSD]

The solution is a box full of rabid, plague infested rats. Takes care of the primary thief and any seconds...

[Inactive]

This is one of those where it sounds like a great idea until you think it through all the way.

Do you not remember that he knows where you live? And clearly you are employed, so you cannot be home all day every day.

I agree there, bad idea for sure, better to prevent the problem in the first place with a more secure means of package holding or alternate delivery.
Having an obvious camera, even a dummy cam on the porch is probably a good visual too.

This reminds me of a client who bought one of my sculptures on Ebay earlier this year, no response to my questions, no response to anything so I shipped the crate to her. the woman had a crazy number of feedbacks, something close to 30,000 in 10 years, which means she must buy on average about 10 items on Ebay a day!

I decided to street view the address to see where it was going, ordinary but nice looking 2 story house with garage on a cul-de-sac, two nice new looking cars in the drive, then as I zoomed in on the front door and steps, I saw it...

About 7-8 or more boxes all piled up on her front door steps that had just been delivered by UPS before Google's camera car drove by, LOL!
I never did hear back from her, not even feedback was left for me.

[RR_Security]

To those who think "gifting" the thief with something like that is a bad idea, I see what you're saying, but that's just how some frustrated victims decided to fight back. I can think of better ways of doing it, too.

From what I read on another forum, it's turned into a regular thing for some thieves, where they follow parcel delivery trucks around and wait for items to be left at destinations. They might keep some of the loot, but I'll bet most of it is sold or traded for "recreational pharmaceuticals." Damn druggies.

[Inactive]

To those who think "gifting" the thief with something like that is a bad idea, I see what you're saying, but that's just how some frustrated victims decided to fight back. I can think of better ways of doing it, too.

Yes, to each their own, still, I think it's not a good idea to do something like that especially when it involves someone who already has a proven criminal element to them, who may be unstable, on drugs, potentially violent and pouring gasoline on the fire is usually a bad idea.
I think there would also be more than just one thief going around doing this in a neighborhood too. It's far better to fix the situation at the root.
Thankfully I live in a small town where this kind of stuff just doesn't happen, but I have had two shipments to clients stolen, one of the crates' tracking number stopped at a DHL warehouse in California and that's where the trail ended.

That was when I learned that even if you have insurance on the package shipped via UPS/FedEx etc it doesn't cover theft either in the system by employees, off a parked truck, or once left by the driver!

The only way to get coverage then was to pay extra for an adult signature required on it, geez.
I was really upset with the DHL customer service and asked what the hell I was paying extra for insurance for, if it only covered breakage/damage??? How do you "lose" a large 70 pound wood crate in your system and have the tracking just stop in your warehouse???

I've had a client purchase my book, I shipped it media mail and was satisfied all was fine, about 3-4 weeks later Paypal tells me it has taken the funds back because the person filed a non receipt complaint, the guy said he never got the package and since it's been weeks he wanted a refund. Of course by weeks later I had discarded the Post office receipt showing it was mailed.
Lesson learned there was I now charge $7 for media mail, with delivery confirmation/tracking added in.

Purchasers whose packages of stuff bought off Amaon or whatever that are stolen off their doorsteps usually don't lose any money, the shipper and the carrier do and I bit the costs on two shipments and a $35 book, about $500 total.

[JustAJ]

...and if you video him and turn it over to the police, he knows where you live.

If you do anything at all, including nothing, he knows where you live.

So the "solution" to crime is obviously to do nothing, keep your head down and HOPE they pass you by the second, third or one hundredth time.

That's a bad takeaway to get from my reply. I never have been, and probably never will be, the kind to just roll over and be a victim. I'd gladly turn over all available video or photo evidence I have against someone committing crimes on my property. What I won't do is agitate someone who clearly has no regard for the law, because it's not a stretch to go from "target of opportunity" IE the box on the porch, to being a specific target.