Card Thefts

[Leon]

Have a considered asking the real world? Otherwise I would protect myself best I can and forget about it

[Luke]

I've seen locking mailboxes around here and there. I guess the mailman would have a key and it would make breaking into your mailbox a lot harder. And there would be clear evidence that a theft had occured if it ever happened.

[OldEnglishD]

I always hand deliver outgoing packages to the post office. I don't send out too many packages, so it's not a real inconvenience.

Sorry about the theft.

[Head928]

Same thing happened to me this last holiday season.
Although they were large boxes that were left on my porch.
Here are actions I took after the incident.

I sent some emails to local cards shops with what the items were.
I called Fedex and USPS and they told me "tough luck".

I filed a police report along with the pictures and descriptions from the listings.
Then made a home owner's insurances claim. (received a check in about 10 days).

To help prevent this in the future I filled out a form at the post office to no longer receive parcels (i.e. boxes) at my house without someone receiving them in person.
Also I opened a PO Box and just receive all of my Cards etc. there.

All told, it was not that big of a pain and it forced me to go the PO box route which I should have done awhile ago. Good luck-

[Section103]

If someone stole your check written to pay a bill, you should seriously consider notifying your bank and having a new account set up. And, unfortunately, I would suggest not leaving outgoing mail in your box. I had the same thing happen to me about 10 years ago.

[ramram]

you might check the online data base of incident reports in your area. Might be some interesting conclusions to be drawn. Patterns, time of day, day of week, etc.

[rdwyer]

I suggest security cameras that activate when motion is sensed. Also a DVR to record 24 hrs a day even when you're not home.

[Mdmtx]

I think I would wake up early. Hold my urge to use the restroom for a bit. Then when I felt it was properly saved up, I would let it loose in a box. Then wrap it up real nice and place out for delivery. Make sure to retrieve if not stolen, prior to delivery man picking it up. If they are the recipient of such a nice gift, might break their habit.

Mark

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by Mdmtx

I think I would wake up early. Hold my urge to use the restroom for a bit. Then when I felt it was properly saved up, I would let it loose in a box. Then wrap it up real nice and place out for delivery. Make sure to retrieve if not stolen, prior to delivery man picking it up. If they are the recipient of such a nice gift, might break their habit.

Mark

While all of the above suggestions are great, I really like this one - I considered leaving a 'dummy' package with a note inside, but I like your idea even better!

[obcbobd]

Originally Posted by Runscott

While all of the above suggestions are great, I really like this one - I considered leaving a 'dummy' package with a note inside, but I like your idea even better!

I would advise against this. The type of person who would steal from someone's mailbox is very likely the type of person who would over retaliate to your action. You get a little urine on their hands and they retaliate with a rock through the window or worse.

Security cameras are a good idea if you think this is going to happen again and I would hand deliver all outgoing packages in the future.

However, if in the end if you let this eat at you too much, the thief has stolen from you again.

Good luck

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by Leon

Have a considered asking the real world? Otherwise I would protect myself best I can and forget about it

I did. I spoke with the police, my postman and a few non-card collecting friends who I thought might have thoughts about the violation of being robbed, even though they don't collect cards. I assume those were the types of things you were referring to.

[Stampsfan]

Really sorry to hear all this. And I'm not looking to hijack the thread.


I'm sitting here in Canada, reading this, and thinking "The USPS picks up outgoing mail from your home?"

We can barely get Canada Post to bring our mail to our door anymore. Most mail is dropped in a multi-box on a corner, and you have to go get it.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by Stampsfan

Really sorry to hear all this. And I'm not looking to hijack the thread.


I'm sitting here in Canada, reading this, and thinking "The USPS picks up outgoing mail from your home?"

We can barely get Canada Post to bring our mail to our door anymore. Most mail is dropped in a multi-box on a corner, and you have to go get it.

Thanks. This is a very minor thing.

You can put in an online request for mail pick-up and they will knock on your door - it's great. I don't do it because I would have to have the items packed and ready to ship the night before, and I tend to package things at the last minute. But I used that service in Georgia, as the mailman did not come to our apartment door.

The USPS service in Tacoma is the greatest I've experienced. My mailman comes by first thing in the morning to drop off packages, then in the afternoon for everything else. He hides packages (so well that once it took me almost a week to find one!) and made several great suggestions regarding future package pick-up: leave outgoing mail in the milk box, stick it inside my screen door, leave it inside (hidden) the mailbox, or put in an online request the evening before to have packages picked up - then I can leave them inside the house until he arrives and he will ring the bell. The prior mailman knew that I had a lot of outgoing mail, so he always honked twice when he arrived, so that I could hear him if I was working in the garden. You can also get a red flag for your box.

Great guys (and gals) all around.

[ALR-bishop]

I would worry as much about the stolen check , even if not cashed and you stopped payment. I never use my mailbox anymore to pay bills after a similar theft. They got 3 checks, washed them and wrote them for other amounts to other people. Then they created new checks. I had to terminate the account and open another. A hassle. Then they used my info on the checks to create other fake checks on other fake accounts. As a result I got contacts from angry vendors who had my name and info from the fake checks, and contacts from police looking into complaints about bad checks. Fortunately the bank returned almost all the money, but it was a mess for awhile. None of my outgoing mail now goes in my mailbox

[bnorth]

Sorry for your loss Scott, usually retaliation gets you in trouble.

Last Monday I got back at someone that stole from me about 3 years ago.

I play in a Monday night golf league. One of the guys we played against was complaining about an employee. Said he was asking for overtime constantly but couldn't even show up for work all the time. When I heard his name I said that POS stole from me and told him the story. He then got on his phone called another employee and asked if he could go to work and fill in. Then called the guy that stole from me and fired him on the spot while on speaker phone for all to hear.

[JustinD]

I have been pricing camera setups for my front door that I can access from my phone or computer. I have never had anything taken, but it is not unheard of around here.

I understand the want for revenge though. I would have a hard time not leaving out a box with a the biggest pet store tarantula in packing peanuts I could find, lol.