FedEx Bandit

[Mannyman]

A couple of weeks ago the hard drive in one of my touch screens died.
I figured it would take me a long while to get around to fixing it.
So I bid and won a KeyTec TouchScreen overlay for one of my old laptops on eBay for $50.
I figured the package was late so I looked it up via the tracking number.

The seller sent it to me without asking for a signature request, so the delivery guy just placed it on my porch.
He should have placed a Billboard reading 'Look, free surprise gift".

A while later a thief comes by and takes it.
It's ironic that the touchscreen he stole was to replace the one in the foyer that would have shown him a snapshot of himself as he looked through the door's window.

Here's a video of the whole experience.

 

[electron]

<paranoid>Makes you wonder if the seller did that on purpose, and instructed someone close to you (part of the 'bandit network' lol) to go pick up the package, since he knew the address and when it would be delivered.</paranoid>

 

[fitzpatri8]

So what happened to the guy? Is he cooling his heals in the local jail, or did he just mysteriously go missing? h34r:

 

[pete]

<paranoid>Makes you wonder if the seller did that on purpose, and instructed someone close to you (part of the 'bandit network' lol) to go pick up the package, since he knew the address and when it would be delivered.</paranoid>

awful lot of effort for $50


Mannyman . .

check w/ the carrier, a similar thing happend to me a while back w/ UPS . . they covered the loss (4 brand new tires ~$550)

UPS actually classifies your neighborhood as OK to drop or not, mine changed to not OK after this and I had to sign for every package after that . . a real PITA for a commuter like myself . . lots of trips to their depot to pick up packages in person . .

 

[opie]

I had a new Employee who once shipped an $800 GPS without extra insurance or sig required and it never made it to the purchaser either. I did gst the $100 standard insurance from the carrier but had to eat the rest. I hope your video helps nail this thief.

 

[betrickey]

Sorry to see your bad luck. Your camera/DVR setup is very good. Could you describe your setup?

 

[Mannyman]

I called FedEx.
(a polite Mr Solis in claims answered.)

Told him a package was stolen off my porch and if there was anything he could do for me; and if I can get my address posted as one not to deliver to without confirmation.

He said FedEx does not hold records of addresses that do not want packages left on their porch.
It is up to me to make sure the seller specifies Signature Confirmation when having something delivered to me.


Oh well I tried.

<paranoid>Makes you wonder if the seller did that on purpose, and instructed someone close to you (part of the 'bandit network' lol) to go pick up the package, since he knew the address and when it would be delivered.</paranoid>

It was sold out of Georgia, so if the bandit network extends to Escondido, I had no chance
:lol:

Sorry to see your bad luck. Your camera/DVR setup is very good. Could you describe your setup?

My setup is made up of cheap 8 cam eBay dvr and eBay night/day color cameras. It has remote login, internet server, email and cell phone notification. I think I've posted about it before.

So what happened to the guy? Is he cooling his heals in the local jail, or did he just mysteriously go missing? ph34r.gif

I had the police over to file a report. He liked my sec cam /motion detectors / touchscreen setup. I gave him the video on cd. He asked if I could play it on my big screen. B)

It's petty theft so maybe 1 in a million the jerk will get caught, but I figured I'd warn the neighbors...and who knows ...

I'm still kinda pissed :angry: about it, so have thought of doing the following.-
Boost mobile i415 from Target $29.99 + data cable $10.00 bucks.
Free Mologogo software and I have a cheap GPS tracker.
Send myself a FedEx package as a decoy.
Hope the thief does it again.

Do you remember the movie Pulp Fiction where Travolta's character said that if he could catch the guy who keyed his car it would have been worth the damage caused... h34r:

Decoys are fun.
I had somebody stealing my paper every other morning last year, until I filled a delivery bag with an old paper and dog poop.

PS thanks for the posts...good therapy.
Also my new hobby is doing an EV conversion. Anyone who is driving all electric gimme a holla.

 

[BLH]

If you don't have a Delivery Waver on file at Fedex. The driver should not have left it on the doorstep.
Heck I have one and a few of the drivers say it is too risky to leave it on my porch.
I live so far off the road in a rural area you can't see a package there. One even said thet and didn't leave a door tag. My guess in thet case was they didn't feel like driving to my town for one package. As I have been told Ground Delivery trucks are owned or leased by the drivers.

 

[electron]

This kind of stuff always makes me want to build a special box for deliveries monitored with cameras (so you should be able to get a good closeup). On top of that, make it work like a USPS drop off box, where you can't retrieve the package once it's in.

 

[Sendero]

This kind of stuff always makes me want to build a special box for deliveries monitored with cameras (so you should be able to get a good closeup). On top of that, make it work like a USPS drop off box, where you can't retrieve the package once it's in.

Same here. I had a PS3 go missing off the front porch just before the holidays and have looked into getting a camera setup. One of my friends, apparently one brighter than me, pointed out that the camera may not do any good but having a drop box would have saved the packages. I'm going to make one that is about 3' tall x 5' across (fits perfectly on my porch in one corner) and have two sections of it. I'll just leave a padlock open on it and have a note for FedEx or UPS to put the items in there and lock the padlock. Hopefully I won't have too many padlocks get stolen.

 

[Squintz]

That is mail fraud and is a federal offense. I hope you don't let this guy slip away. I would make a huge deal of it and lock that bastard up.

 

[nsisman]

Quote :

"It's petty theft so maybe 1 in a million the jerk will get caught, but I figured I'd warn the neighbors...and who knows ..."

Judging by the obstacle course the guy had to follow to get to your porch ( looks kind of hidden from the videos) I wouldn't be warning the neighbours - I would be suspecting the neighbours - especially the ones that are within view of your home !

My guess would be someone saw that parcel truck stopped there otherwise how would the thief even know to look there ?

Just my thoughts........


I remember years ago calling Dell when the courier (UPS I think) left my new Dell PC on the front porch (two boxes) with the big blue DELL logo facing the street. The idiot didn't even have enough common sense to move the box behind the railing - he just propped the storm door open and then stacked the two boxes. Luckily I drove around the corner just as the truck was about 50' up the road.

That would have been quite a battle if that had gone missing - and it would have - I live on a busy street !

Neil

 

[justhere]

If you don't have a Delivery Waver on file at Fedex. The driver should not have left it on the doorstep.
Heck I have one and a few of the drivers say it is too risky to leave it on my porch.
I live so far off the road in a rural area you can't see a package there. One even said thet and didn't leave a door tag. My guess in thet case was they didn't feel like driving to my town for one package. As I have been told Ground Delivery trucks are owned or leased by the drivers.

just fyi but that changed over a year ago. FedEx will now leave packages as long as 1. the driver deems it a secure location, and 2. the shipper didn't pay extra to get a signature. There are a few other exceptions, but you get the idea.

 

[justhere]

That is mail fraud and is a federal offense. I hope you don't let this guy slip away. I would make a huge deal of it and lock that bastard up.

It's not mail fraud. For one, it has to be shipped through the mail to be mail fraud. This was shipped FedEx. Why do you think criminals use FedEx, UPS, etc? They cannot be charged with mail fraud. Also, even if it was shipped via USPS, it wouldn't be fraud, it would be theft.

 

[deranged]

I have asked several times both UPS and Fedex not to leave packages on my porch. Nothing seems to work, I live in a pretty good quiet area so nothing has happened yet......

They just leave the packages, a few times I was home and they didn't even bother to ring the doorbell. I ended up tripping over 1 package going out the door.

I left a sign not to leave any packages on the porch, so they dropped them behind the bushes... ugh..


StevenE