This will never happen if the receiver practice presence of mind...I mean, the mere fact that he expects home delivery, he should have phoned in the store and keep tract with the whereabouts.

I sympathize with you Nubee. The same happened to me recently. Unfortunately, many people are without consciences.

I'm a very broke college student trying to start a small business. With money I'd saved, I purchased equipment for my burgeoning portrait studio. I'd been waiting for the parcel for three weeks! I knew something was fishy when the next package to arrive was for my fiance, who placed his order days after mine.

After investigating the issue, I realized that the courier had left the package weeks prior--sans signature! The item was left on the porch of my gated home and recorded as "delivered." Apparently, someone decided to help themselves to my merchandise (Freaks! Who randomly swipes something without knowledge of what they're taking?? It could've be anything! )

We had a three UPS packages stolen or misdelivered on the same day this November. One of the packages had a delivery signature required (service paid for by the shipper). No attempt was made to get the signature. My wife was home at the time and I arrived an hour later. UPS told us to go fly a kite.

UPS published standards do not allow leaving packages in a visible place or in the weather, but internal rules designate so-called safe areas. Our front porch is meets neither of these criteria.

We now have a plastic plaque above the door bell stating no deliveries without signature. Hope this works.

M0-

My husband and I are about to go through our dressers and closets, while the clothes may not be brand new, they can still help others, could you place a post in the forum of where to donate these items?

Thanks.

I have a missing box as well, it is a box of brand new clothes donated to my non-profit foundation that serves families in need during the holidays. I was out delivering flyers about my fundraiser when the delivery came. I can only hope that wherever it is it's with someone who truly needed it, becuase others are missing out now.

I wasn't saying that Ep meant for my son to be in the NICU, I was trying to make a point about the holier than thou attitude that those of us who do not keep tabs on our surprise packages on our doorsteps deserve to get them stolen.

USPS is totally part of the problem. I used to live in the Phinney neighborhood and would find my mail halfway down the block on the sidewalk- when I complained to the postmaster they said it was somehow my fault. Um, because your letter carrier drops my mail?

In an ideal world, our mail would not get stolen. Elle, I am sorry about your cookies. I love homemade cookies too and that would make me sad.

amy-

see post #1. the usps is part of the problem.

>>>There’s lots of desperate people in the neighborhood

>>>You have packages on your doorstep, you ask for it.


Well, I guess the only solution is a little more gentrification. The only thing you have to fear about yuppies are their lawyers.

no one deserves crime committed against them, ep. saying someone "asked for it" is totally crappy! i didnt do anything irresponsible. my mother unexpectedly sent me christmas cookies and an ornament as a surprise. and they got stolen. its shitty. i didnt deserve it. you shouldnt condone bad things happening to people because they somehow unwittingly asked for it.

To be honest, I find UPS and USPS culpable. In the other cities I've lived in, they aren't stupid enough to leave things on a porch -- they leave a note, and you have to go pick it up.. or indicate that they'll drop by tomorrow.

OK, relax a little bit Nubbee. I am sure Ep did not mean you were asking for your son to be in the NICU.

I think the point is that we live in a city and unfortunately, things like this happen. Thanks, elle, for bringing it to our attention b/c as a relatively new city dweller, I hadn't even thought of this concern. I will definitely try to be super aware of any packages I receive and send to others.

* had been able to breathe. Pardon the typo. I am just pissed because I "asked for it"

Bite me Ep. If I could trade NOT having a my son in the NICU for 12 days to get the gifts that were stolen from my front porch, I would. I wasn't ASKING for anything.

I just think its crappy that someone had to steal them. Because had my son not been able to breathe, I would have been home.

I win! I win! I was the jerk on this post!

But I won't change my position. Would you post about people getting their car stereo stolen when they left their car unlocked. No. You have packages on your doorstep, you ask for it. This is nothing new, by the way.

Don't forget the option of shipping them to a trusted at-home neighbor's house. (Ask first) Or asking an at-home neighbor to keep a watch for packages. Most people still welcome the opportunity of doing something neighborly if asked.

isn't it great---if the crime involved the mail, why would you start with the police and not the Postal Inspectors?

Unfortunately, domestic violence was also in that list.

I understand cutting costs, but I don't think that was the right choice.

Same with the fraud - hello identity theft - never mind stolen baby gifts....

Isn't it great that the SPD is disbanding the unit that investigates stuff like this? I can't wait to pay my grocery bag tax in January!

note: it's barely mentioned in the article but it is (was) the fraud investigation unit:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/389434_vice...

i knew when i sent this in inevitably someone would be a dick about it.

thank you to everyone who gave helpful ideas, suggestions and a place to report it. i was just raising awareness and needing a place to report it. i definitely plan to get a po box and not have packages delivered to my house. lesson learned. clearly not everyone is as smart as ep considering what happened to me involved two individual homes getting packages delivered and stolen. jerk.

thanks again guys =)

I usually get everything signature on delivery, only a pain if Im not home, and my family sends the same way, but alas, when its a surprise, no, not much you can do. It's just aggravating.

There's lots of desperate people in the neighborhood and you can't leave anything on the porch. On Phinney ridge we have homeless guys prowling day and night.

Last Christmastime I watched a show on UPS/FedEx thefts where they showed a woman (white, middle class, mid-thirties, new car) driving around BEHIND a UPS truck and going right up to the porches and stealing packages.

IF you know a package is coming (that you ordered, for instance) you can have it delivered to Sip and Ship or Ballard Mailbox. I have a deal with my UPS driver, since I get so many packages; if I am not home, they deliver them to the business next door.

The problem arises when it is a "suprise" package...other than telling every person in your circle of friends, relatives and acquaintances to have any potential packages delivered to your work address , there is really no way to stop opportunistic thiefs, except to be on really good terms with all of your neighbors to keep a look out.

Ep-the name says it all.

Oh Nubbee - Ep would have known, of course. Ep knows everything and tires of having to explain it all to us dullards. Next time, do better.

I work at Ballard Mailbox and Shipping next to Archie McPhee and we accept packages, as well. The cost is $1.00 for a letter and then up from there depending on the size. It's definitely a safer way to receive your packages.

www.ballardmailbox.com

I had two packages stolen from my steps this past January - baby gifts for my son who was hospitalized. Who the hell steals baby gifts?

and Ep, I would have been home, but who can predict a newborn with respiratory distress?

You can also have packages shipped to Ballard Sip and Ship. According to their website:

Simply instruct your UPS, FedEx or DHL driver to bring your package to us – we’ll sign for it, notify you when it arrives and hold it until you can pick it up. Your first package is free; nominal receiving fee thereafter. Ask us for details.

http://www.sipandship.com/

Report it here: http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/forms/MLNtRcv...

Seriously? Does this have to be explained?

How to prevent packages from being stolen: Don't have packages sitting on your doorstep. If you don't stay home, ship them to your office. If you don't have an office, ship them to your friend's office. If you can't do that, well, you're shit out of luck. Sorry.

don't go usps. i have a file at least 12 years think of mail that was delivered to someone else's address w/the promise that it would be corrected. you will only get a file number and get lost the the red tape w/no resolution? can you contact the police regarding a theft?