Rural porch pirates: ideas?

[bcp]

Need more of this:

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/officers-use-bait-boxes-lure-porch-pirates/5RSVO26QAND4PL5DVAEAYTP5YA/

Bruce

 

[Oaktree]

I did call USPS to see if there was something I could do to request they leave packages at the sign. I was told "your address is serviced by contract carriers. We don't have any say where they deliver.

Is this something new? I've seen contract carriers for Fedex & UPS but never the post office.

 

[RalphVa]

I'd like to minimize delivery trucks on my 5/8 mile, soft-when-wet lane. Thinking about mounting a job box or similar down by the road and train the drivers to lock packages in it instead of racing up to the house as fast as the potholes will allow them to drive. Seems like they would cooperate since deliveries/day is one of their metrics, and it's 2 minutes drive time each way. Anybody tried this or see any problems?

BTW, Consumer Reports reviewed plastic drop boxes targeted at more urban areas and mentioned urban theft is 16% vs 8% rural theft. (A plastic box at my place would just be a beacon.)

Yes. Out of sight. Out of mind. Think they're wrong about the plastic boxes.

We put in a plastic box, about 2 feet by 2 feet deep and high and about 4 feet wide with a lid. Plastic. Attached it to a nearby post.

Put up a laminated sign on the mailbox asking them to put deliveries in the bin. Also have a sign on the top of the bin.

Has worked flawlessly so far. Even good if leaving free or shared stuff with others to pick up, too.

Before this, we'd had a couple deliveries where they container was opened, but they didn't like it (I guess) and didn't take anything.

 

[MossRoad]

Is this something new? I've seen contract carriers for Fedex & UPS but never the post office.

USPS has used contract drivers for decades in rural areas around here. Many of them have/had mail routes during the day and newspaper routes in the wee hours.

 

[ljjhouser]

Is this something new? I've seen contract carriers for Fedex & UPS but never the post office.

No, not new here. I think most of contract carriers came from the old HCR Box carrier routes. And some rural routes still use them. Our contract carriers are pretty good. But sometimes they will come up the hill and sometimes not. It is just not dependable. Sometimes we have to go to the PO to get a package. I love UPS and FEDEX and AMAZON. Never a problem with them.

 

[bdhsfz6]

It takes a village to raise a child ???

It does indeed but sadly, too many are "village idiots".

 

[kenmbz]

My UPS guy leaves the packages in bags up the drive behind our garbage cans if he sees snow on the driveway.
Fedex is hit or miss, would hate to see either get a truck stuck up here by the house.
The only time we have had stuff stolen is when left between our 2 old mailboxes.

New mailboxes don't have this space.

Following to see what others do. The box might be a good solution, but our Fedex carrier is a sub-contract, so who knows if the same person will show up each time.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

It does indeed but sadly, too many are "village idiots".

HA! I do believe you have hit the proverbial nail on the head...

 

[PILOON]

Our problem in my area is UPS, or their sub contractors, that have taken the habit of simply attaching (if lucky) the package onto, or left on top of the trash bins at the roadside.

Problem is the trash is handled by a remote hydraulic arm and does not care what gets dumped into the compactor.

Bye-Bye your pricey Xmas gifts!

 

[jaxs]

For a business or anyone recieveing many on-going packages,a secure metal box with floor that dump's when door is closed is affordable or simple to fabricate. Where deliveries are irregular,thieves aren't crusing and looking in boxes so a weatherproof barrel or box is sufficent. Having packages hanging from gate or lying beside mailbox un-neccessarily tempt's thieves.
After seeing the cartoon of guy ordering mad wasps,I must confess to haveing thoughts about boxing some up for unsuspecting pirates. Yellow Jackets and Bald Face Hornets are aggressive and sting multiple times when disturbed. Both settle down during night making it possible to carfully move their nest without stirring them up. Even a shovel load of Fire Ants boxed up could deal an unsuspecting victim lots of pain and misery.