How does one catch a package thief?
 

I have a problem.

I have recently ordered stuff via ebay -to be delivered to my house. I am presently renting a room in a large house sectioned off into individual "apartments". (We share a disgusting bathroom).

One problem in the house is that packages will be left outside in a common mail area. Everyone has their individual mailboxes but the postman will leave packages outside the main entrance.

Someone had ordered a camera and had the package stolen several weeks ago. The culprit was most certainly someone renting a room ie. -someone living in the house with us.

Although the objects that I ordered do not have a lot of value (being shoes and what not) -I don't want to lose them.

I thought about the feasability of sending myself a package with some sort of transponder in it -to catch the package thief. Has anyone here tried something like this? Does anyone here have any other ideas on either:

a) catching the package thief
or
b) Preventing the thief from stealing.

Thanks

My sister had this problem a year ago, and she went to the post office. They were absolutely no help. She ended up renting a post office box for this very reason...but her neighbor was taking all her mail, not just her packages. I really don't have an solutions for you, except renting a post office box. Or using a company that requires you being home to accept the box.

Camera surveillance?

Your best bet is probably to have all packages held, and report the packages stolen for a reason. Or don't allow them to leave packages.

Odd thing is... there was a package from Dell shipped via USPS that was in the publically-accessible mail area in my apartment building, and it was there for about a week before it disappeared. Clearly around here people don't steal things...

4 easy steps to catch your theif.

1: See if you can get ahold of some paint bombs.. the kind banks use to help catch robbers.

2: Put it in a very conspicous valuble looking box.

3:Mail it to yourself.

4: Sit back and wait for the magic to happen.

Maybe plant a bogus package with one of those exploding dye things that the banks put in money bags to catch robbers? Wasn't there a story not too long ago where someone gift wrapped their garbage during a sanitation workers strike and left the packages out in the open for thieves or is that just another urban legend? :)

Does anyone know where to buy an exploding dye pack?

Probably not at Walmart

From HowStuffWorks
If any part of it is classified, you can bet that it isn't available to the general public through legal means.

I found a contact with 3SI who makes the SecurityPac and FlexiPac. I don't know if they will sell me one or if they are expensive. I came up with this sign:

The best solution is to rent a mailbox at a Mailboxes etc. or other mailbox store, and have all packages sent there. They'll sign for you and hold your packages until you're ready to pick them up.

Actually catching the thief would probably involve camera surveillance.

Gilda

If you're shipping via Fedex or UPS, you can request that they hold your package for you to pick it up for free. I guess that wouldn't work if you live too far from the station.

Plus, coming up with a sign like that can be illegal, the police is not actually involved and yet, you're making a sign that shows that they are involved.

Speaking of illegal, I can only think that mailing yourself an exploding device is.

Maybe a siren then.

ooooo the siren could be a good way to go...

wouldnt be hard to setup a little booby trap so when the box lid is opened it pulls a pin out from between 2 contacts which then complete the circuit and set off the siren...

there are even little self defense sirens that are pretty small and really loud, i'm sure one of those could be modified to fit your needs.... any way you set it up you want it to be hard to turn off...

Bwahahahaha! You guys are so funny. Exploding dye packs, sirens... Put a dead rat or halloween mask under nice pretty paper inside a box you previously received in the mail and stick a box of macaroni (or Kraft dinner) in the bottom so it makes a good shake. Stick a copy of the federal statues regarding mail theft underneath the rat or mask. worked in my old dorm. Like a charm. Of course, the scream reverberating down the hall when she found the rat... ~ahem~ "ratted" her out, if you will.

Huh, in the areas I've lived, the postmaster would have started a federal investigation! I suppose huge cities are a bit different, though.

..and the postmaster wouldn't care if it was FedEx or UPS.

Use some of that spray stuff on your package, like on CSI, and then get you a UV light to see who's been handling your package without your consent. ;)

How about just get a PO Box? Maybe you can send a message to the seller asking them to make sure you have to sign for it?

I love the idea of setting up a siren. That could be fun while still accomplishing your goal.

Punish them.

Get an electronics box of some sort.

Fill a big tupperware bowl with rotting fish.

Glue the bowl inside the box.

Glue the top of the box to the top of the tupperware as you are sealing it.

You *may* be able to tell whose room the stink is coming from.

If not, you will at least have some satisfaction!

order something from the unibomber.

Three ways to go, in the future, that aren't fantasy-revenge:

1. Get a P.O. Box. Always good to have, especially if you move around in the same town. Avoids so many changes of address.

2. U.P.S. bought Mailboxes Etc. a couple of years back, and now all the old MBEtc stores are UPS stores. You can have any package sent c/o yourself at a UPS store, even if it's not shipped UPS. They'll receive it for you and hold it for you. Of course, you pay. I think it's $5. Call the local store, if you have one, and check it out.

3. Have the package sent as certified mail. It costs more, of course. But the postman won't leave the package unless somebody signs, and unless they come right out of your door, the postman will ask for ID. And if there's nobody to sign, the postman leaves a yellow slip and you retrieve it at the PO the next day. (And if somebody steals the yellow slip and tries to get the package, be assured that they _will_ be asked for ID.)

I am happy to say that I posted the sign (above) and I believe that I made the thief paranoid enough -so as not to mess with my packages. They came and were unmolested.

I do have a plan for the thief which presently I won't do because I am going to move.

Here is the plan anyways...

By some cheap but interesting Curio like this:

http://i12.ebayimg.com/02/i/05/30/46/41_1.JPG


Put on some rubber gloves and coat the whole item with some of this "thief detection powder". It will turn whoever handles -the object's hands purple.

http://www.crimescene.com/store/imag...powder_MED.jpg

send yourself a box with some sorta cheap weight to it, then when it gets to you, all nicely postmarked and stuff, rig it up with some string and whatever, some insane contraption that sets off a air horn, fries and flips eggs, cooks toast, pours milk, takes a picture, and makes a burping and ding noises

Um, how about actually making a police report?

Other than that, I favor browsing ACME's latest catalog of road runner capturing devices. Get the one where the owner rockets into a painting of a road while the road runner runs right through it.