Porch Pirates!!!
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Tex_77 said in Porch Pirates!!!:
sidpost where do you live?
Rural East Texas between Dallas and Shreveport/Texarkana. The migration from Dallas and Houston out here has been significant and law enforcement has been stretched pretty thin with population growth outpacing law enforcement staffing. With that, financial criminals have followed to take advantage of the elderly and with that came drug use and property crime.
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I checked out with a 22# grinder and 11# stuffer with my PO Box.
However, Elizabeth contacted me to update everything. I’m not sure what a Porch Pirate would do with those but, that won’t stop them from stealing them.
With package theft being so high, my choices are to drive ~65 miles round trip to get it at a hub or wait by my mailbox between noon and 9PM or not ordering it at this point if it won’t ship to my PO Box.
So yes, a couple of bucks so they don’t just chuck it out the truck door is money well spent IMHO. I had a case of ammo with ORM-D requirements and signature confirmation left at the road by the mailbox which FedEx was not happy about paying for. The also threw my iPad and a new iPhone over the barb wire fence into the pasture ditch full of water even though the gate was wide open so, I’ll give them credit for not leaving it on the road by the mailbox but, really, in a water-filled ditch in a pasture?
I get you don’t get Amazon rates to ship via USPS for bulky items like 50lb sacks of dog food, 65qt ice chests, etc. but, there really needs to be some options other than a blind drop at the roadside.
To further complicate things, people follow the US Mail, UPS and, FedEx trucks to steal things right behind them out here.
sidpost Have you considered a package lock box by the drive. I built and anchored one down when I worked for a major wireless company. Drivers put things in there and saw a note that read, “please lock” when they opened it. Never had a problem after that.
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Can’t do that on the public easement, only the pole for the mailbox. Out here drivers for FedEx and UPS are supposed to leave packages at the house which for me is ~1200 feet from the road. USPS is supposed to do the same if the mailbox door won’t close.
With schedule pressure, all of them except for my normal mail carrier ‘contractor’ dump them on the street for the most part with a few FedEx and UPS drivers actually dropping them at the house. FedEx and UPS ‘normal’ drivers are pretty good but, the luck of the draw random “substitute” drivers right now isn’t good.
I delivered USPS Amazon packages for a while but, average delivery times meant I needed to speed everywhere and heave package out the door or window of the truck if I was going to come close to their delivery route time expectations. The vehicle I was in would float the rear end above 55MPH on the highway and had a 4-cylinder engine so that wasn’t an easy speed to reach. Being passed at 70MPH would blow the vehicle around in the lane. My route expected at an average speed of 47MPH including stops for package scans and drops on the route. Training and management harped on drive safely and be safe but, in practice, all they cared about was getting me off the clock 5 minutes sooner. My life wasn’t fulfilled risking it to deliver sacks of dog food and boxes of diapers to run-down trailer houses in rural areas of the county though, I did look forward to the nicer retirees looking forward to a new book or some new kitchen gadget.
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UPS poured salt in the wound today as well. I was expecting my shipment of vac bags and Excalibur shakers today, Thursday. When I spoke to them yesterday they said they delivered 2 packages. So I assume my bags & shakers were hijacked as well! However they only emailed a POD for 1 package.
UPS is CENSORED!Improvise, Adapt and Overcome! Semper Fi
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UPS poured salt in the wound today as well. I was expecting my shipment of vac bags and Excalibur shakers today, Thursday. When I spoke to them yesterday they said they delivered 2 packages. So I assume my bags & shakers were hijacked as well! However they only emailed a POD for 1 package.
UPS is CENSORED! -
UPS poured salt in the wound today as well. I was expecting my shipment of vac bags and Excalibur shakers today, Thursday. When I spoke to them yesterday they said they delivered 2 packages. So I assume my bags & shakers were hijacked as well! However they only emailed a POD for 1 package.
UPS is CENSORED! -
sad but true… can also pass for the distribution of wealth that is now gaining popularity in some states.
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The mailbox thief got us last night or early this morning, must have walked into the community, because the gates are closed. He got an envelope with a check for the newspaper carrier. It was her Christmas tip. I beat them to the draw with a stop payment before the banks opened. They try to cash it, they’ll get their Christmas present, new bracelets and a free stay at the gray bars motel. USPS got the report along with our Sheriffs department. I wasn’t the only one unfortunately in the neighborhood. The trail cam will go up and I will catch the tweeker. He’ll be looking at the business end of my Glock next time.
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The mailbox thief got us last night or early this morning, must have walked into the community, because the gates are closed. He got an envelope with a check for the newspaper carrier. It was her Christmas tip. I beat them to the draw with a stop payment before the banks opened. They try to cash it, they’ll get their Christmas present, new bracelets and a free stay at the gray bars motel. USPS got the report along with our Sheriffs department. I wasn’t the only one unfortunately in the neighborhood. The trail cam will go up and I will catch the tweeker. He’ll be looking at the business end of my Glock next time.
johnsbrewhouse so sad that this s what our society has degraded too.
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I would recommend signing up for UPS My Choice.
https://www.ups.com/us/en/services/tracking/mychoice.pageFor free, you get some good notifications on any shipments coming to your address. If you have a big problem with package theft, you can do more with the UPS service if you pay an extra fee, and then you have more controls on your shipments to control a few things. Including changing address, choosing specific days for delivery, change to a UPS Access Point for delivery (a much safer option than something left on your front porch), and all SurePost shipments (where USPS is the final delivery) get upgraded to Ground for free.
I know, sounds like an infomercial for UPS… I don’t pay for the “premium” version, but I definitely see the use case for certain people. I did sign up for the free version to easier track everything shipping to my house though.
Austin
For future reference, along with signing up with UPS Choice, I also signed up for USPS (reg mail) for same reason. But with the USPS they email you actual pictures of the envelopes of mail you are set to receive that day. Then they list packages arriving that day so you know what is coming on any given day.
The GREAT thing with the UDPS app is you can order stamps, FREE mailing boxes and then print out a shipping label and have to mail person pick the package up at any given address you list.
The FREE boxes all ship for one price (3 different sizes and 3 different prices) so no matter what you pack in it, it is one price and mailed PRIORITY MAIL.
For Christmas I mailed a medium box to my sister in Oregon that weighed 30 lbs even and cost me $21.50 to mail. Mail carrier picked it up at my house in Texas Monday evening and my sister got it Thursday…AND NO DAMAGE like some experience with upsWhere rumors end and a legend begins
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Austin
For future reference, along with signing up with UPS Choice, I also signed up for USPS (reg mail) for same reason. But with the USPS they email you actual pictures of the envelopes of mail you are set to receive that day. Then they list packages arriving that day so you know what is coming on any given day.
The GREAT thing with the UDPS app is you can order stamps, FREE mailing boxes and then print out a shipping label and have to mail person pick the package up at any given address you list.
The FREE boxes all ship for one price (3 different sizes and 3 different prices) so no matter what you pack in it, it is one price and mailed PRIORITY MAIL.
For Christmas I mailed a medium box to my sister in Oregon that weighed 30 lbs even and cost me $21.50 to mail. Mail carrier picked it up at my house in Texas Monday evening and my sister got it Thursday…AND NO DAMAGE like some experience with upsmarvsBBQ
I also have signed up with the USPS app. The one thing I can’t do with it is leave delivery instructions. They always leave it by the front door. Not good on a busy street. UPS and FedEx have that option. -
marvsBBQ
I also have signed up with the USPS app. The one thing I can’t do with it is leave delivery instructions. They always leave it by the front door. Not good on a busy street. UPS and FedEx have that option.PapaSop said in Porch Pirates!!!:
marvsBBQ
I also have signed up with the USPS app. The one thing I can’t do with it is leave delivery instructions. They always leave it by the front door. Not good on a busy street. UPS and FedEx have that option.Your best bet is to talk to your postal delivery person and let them know to put them behind the trashcan, behind the planter, etc.
My postal carrier leaves mine on my back porch steps.
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PapaSop said in Porch Pirates!!!:
marvsBBQ
I also have signed up with the USPS app. The one thing I can’t do with it is leave delivery instructions. They always leave it by the front door. Not good on a busy street. UPS and FedEx have that option.Your best bet is to talk to your postal delivery person and let them know to put them behind the trashcan, behind the planter, etc.
My postal carrier leaves mine on my back porch steps.
sidpost You are so right, and a bit of fresh sausage goes a long way. I treat my postal carrier to a few treats throughout the year. I asked him if he would mind leaving my packages in the garage and now never have a problem with USPS nor UPS drivers. Haven’t caught the FedEx driver yet. Could you imagine what a slab of ribs might do!
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sidpost You are so right, and a bit of fresh sausage goes a long way. I treat my postal carrier to a few treats throughout the year. I asked him if he would mind leaving my packages in the garage and now never have a problem with USPS nor UPS drivers. Haven’t caught the FedEx driver yet. Could you imagine what a slab of ribs might do!
I’m a beekeeper and had some hives by the far side of my house. One of the hives became really “HOT” as I suspect the Queen mated with an Africanized Drone. The bees are super sensitive to pheromones so I’m pretty good at not antagonizing them when they buzz me as I don’t get excited or scared.
A delivery driver would be unlikely to have this self-control and would likely be alarmed at the sight of bees setting off the chain reaction that leads to a bee attack so, I went into both the UPS and FedEx apps and put a note in for dangerous Bees at the front door and to use the back porch. Since then, UPS and FedEx have not been a problem and my packages are always waiting for me on the back porch steps! I also thank them in person when I see them.
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I’m a beekeeper and had some hives by the far side of my house. One of the hives became really “HOT” as I suspect the Queen mated with an Africanized Drone. The bees are super sensitive to pheromones so I’m pretty good at not antagonizing them when they buzz me as I don’t get excited or scared.
A delivery driver would be unlikely to have this self-control and would likely be alarmed at the sight of bees setting off the chain reaction that leads to a bee attack so, I went into both the UPS and FedEx apps and put a note in for dangerous Bees at the front door and to use the back porch. Since then, UPS and FedEx have not been a problem and my packages are always waiting for me on the back porch steps! I also thank them in person when I see them.
sidpost I’ve been trying to read up on beekeeping. I have a couple of acres and want to plant specific plants for honey production, but so much conflicting info on the web. Where would you suggest a person to get started?
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sidpost I’ve been trying to read up on beekeeping. I have a couple of acres and want to plant specific plants for honey production, but so much conflicting info on the web. Where would you suggest a person to get started?
Chef a good wild flower planting is a good place to start.
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Our mail delivery person has been delivering mail to this address (same family owned for 150 years) for 42 years so yea, the family has gotten to know her very well and she takes good care of our mail
marvsBBQ Nothing beats a personal relationship.
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sidpost I’ve been trying to read up on beekeeping. I have a couple of acres and want to plant specific plants for honey production, but so much conflicting info on the web. Where would you suggest a person to get started?
Chef said in Porch Pirates!!!:
beekeeping
https://www.beesource.com/ is a good place to start.
A common saying is:
Ask two beekeeper a question and you will get three answers!
There are a lot of different ways to successfully keep bees and, methods vary a lot based on your local environment. Methods used 100 miles away can be totally different. Definitely, different between different states!
Shoot me a message offline and I can hit some high points to get you started!
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