I just found out today that a large package from Lego.com was stolen off of our covered porch at 4 pm on December 11th, 2012. It had been sitting there for one hour and fifteen minutes and was worth about $115.
One camera caught the guy pacing in front of our house for quite some time before he decided to approach the front door. I have two pictures of the guy which I’m sending you now. I posted something on the Wallyhood Forums but I couldn’t attach pics and did not attach the FB link. I posted something on the FB Wallyhood page, but it sort of got buried in the sidebar.
Anyway, I’d love to get this guy’s photo out there. It’s so disappointing. I really hope our neighbors don’t have the same experience we just had.
Sincerely yours,
Kris
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We had a package stollen off our porch (covered) on Wednesday. We live on the East end of Wallingford. According to the tracking information, the package had only been on the porch 30 minutes before it was stolen. We’ve filed a police report.
Every time I see a photo from a front porch security camera, it’s always from above. People need to put the cameras as close to face level as possible, and try to hide them or mask them as well. Come to think of it, maybe it’s time for me to invest in a security camera as well…..
I’m sorry to hear that Mike. I filled out a police report on line too. Hayduke, you are so right! We are going to install more cameras. Looking at the photos more carefully, the guy was wearing white sneakers and a black AC/DC cap. I don’t think cameras are really a deterrent, but at least they can give clues to what happened and we can document the exact time and date of the incident.
Thank you Jordan and Margaret for posting. I really appreciate it. The good news is, Lego.com found two of the items left in the United States (it’s on 30 day back order now). They are Fed Ex’ing me one from Chicago in the morning. They sent me tracking information this time. I will be sure to be home for the delivery, which is scheduled to be Christmas Eve.
Here’s the link again for on-line police reports. So convenient.
http://www.seattle.gov/police/report/default.htm
I just got one from Amazon (Foscam)- they are cheap and work great. A little difficult to set up but once it is up you can monitor it from your iPhone. Good point about putting them lower heyduke – I need to do that.
This is very lame. Had a box of furnace filters disappear off our porch about a year ago, but they reappeared after the thief apparently decided they weren’t worthwhile. Fedex, at no extra charge, will often let you have packages directed to one of their locations ( I use the Kinko’s on 45th quite a bit) UPS offers this as well, but they charge for it. It is unfortunate that we can’t have something left on our doorsteps anymore, and that scumbags follow delivery trucks around, but those are options that limit the hassle of having something stolen off your porch.
Hope you can get a refund from your credit card, and that they catch this dirtbag!
It happened to me in Ravenna from a secluded front porch. I called SPD who fingerprinted packing material involving 3 packages for three addresses. My package from REI was replaced and received within 3 days. Customer services extradinaire.
There was a recent post about this on Green Lake Moms. One of the posters provided this link to an interesting parcel drop box solution:
“…It reminds me of an article I read earlier this year in the NY Times about secure package boxes for the front porch called Elephant boxes. They are available at Home Depot. And while they are not cheap, neither is replacing stolen items…”
http://www.architecturalmailboxes.com/elephantrunk/Default.aspx
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/business/elephant-trunk-mailbox-evolves-to-fit\
-a-new-purpose.html?_r=0
One person in our Block Watch group figured out at which house (retired) people are usually home during the day and who also have a more difficult to access porch (after having many packages snatched off a porch). People are having their packages shipped there to the name of that resident with a middle initial “clue” as who it is really for; if one uses one’s own name sometimes the nice delivery people would compensate and deliver it as a courtesy, really messed with the new system!.
And then the nice people give the retired people hugs and gifts for their “trouble.” Fruitcake. Oranges. No trouble at all and makes for some fun interactions. Like having “Santa” gifts sent elsewhere prior to the big reveal morning.
This porch stuff is the new shoplifting. Probably here to stay.
Found out how to share the video. It is attached in the following link.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/tfpjpcp7e0bs4os/CAM01_20121211160041_-915423980.mov
Ted, you were lucky the person decided to return the filters instead of just trashing them. Thank you for sharing the information about FedEx and UPS.
Chris, that is excellent SPD dusted/examined the evidence for prints. Did they tell you the results of their search? If there were able to lift identifying prints/prints of value, they will be searched against the 10-print database(s). If they don’t get a hit on the existing database, those latents will be registered to the ‘unsolved latent database’. So the next time that person gets booked or fingerprinted (let’s say for a Concealed Weapons Permit/CWP), their prints will be registered to the existing database and run against the unsolved latent database…And boom! Several crimes can be solved at once. The Automated Fingerprint Identification System – or AFIS, is an EXCELLENT crime solving tool
Margaret, the elephant boxes sound excellent. The hard to remove bolt in the cement plus a security camera(s) would really deter a would be thief. M.Hamilton, your block watch group sounds innovative and fun. I agree w/you about the new shop lifting. I’m sure UPS, FedEx and Amazon are working hard on ways to deter would be thieves.
Also, KIRO 7 Reporter Deborah Horne would love to hear your stories, especially if you have video. She can be reached at: [email protected] and 206.728.7153
I wish the UPS drivers would at least ring our doorbell when they leave a package on the porch. I guess I could be home and not know there is a package on our porch because the UPS drivers don’t ring our doorbell or knock.
Our regular UPS delivery person always knocks on the door. Maybe during the holiday rush they don’t have time to.
The story made it to KIRO 7 news and Q13 Fox! The video and stills we took made it to local TV.
Merry Christmas neighbors!
you can also have a P O box and have gifts and boxes sent there.. it might cost 100.00 a year, but NOTHING goes to your house for worries.
A PO Box is a good idea, but unfortunately UPS, FedEx, and the like won’t ship to them. Another good idea is to have your packages shipped to the Wallingford UPS store or the U-District FedEx Office. I believe they both accept packages shipped from anywhere and will hold them for you until you can pick them up. If you know a package is coming, you can usually call with the tracking number and have it redirected to a company store for pickup with photo ID. And there’s Amazon Lockers, if your package is small enough to fit into one…
A Greenlake mom told me a man was caught in the Ravenna area with a van full of stolen mail and packages. I haven’t heard anything back from the police yet. Good news from Lego. We received our package today, along with a very nice and sympathetic note from the folks at LEGO. They also sent us five empty boxes to fill with LEGO bricks and pieces at their Bellevue store. Such excellent customer service!
Hi Neighbors!
I gave out some bum information, I am sorry!
I just heard from our local SPD Officer Loren Street and he said he doesn’t recommend using the on-line reporting system unless you are reporting for statistical or insurance purposes. If you have any evidence (like a video with an obscured face!), and if there is suspect information and/or evidence the report should should be taken by an officer. He wasn’t sure if the on-line reports get followed up on or what the process for reviewing and assigning them out is.
So please, don’t use the on-line reports unless you don’t want the crime to be followed up on.