Porch pirates via USPS :-( Use signature confirmation?

[Sid Post]

I had two packages stolen on Saturday from my mailbox. I suspect they were long enough to not allow the mailbox door to close. Well, I went to get them (both USPS) and nothing was there!

GPS coordinates from the Post Office indicate they were actually placed in my mailbox. Since the USPS says they were delivered, insurance is null and void.

In retrospect, signature confirmation WOULD NOT ALLOW the mail carrier to simply chuck them into a mailbox and walk away. With the increased delivery pressure from Amazon packages, I understand mail carriers are under a lot of stress to deliver as fast as possible so, I have a hard time blaming them and really blame the 'system' which fails to take "porch pirates" into account. When I went to the post office, they (front desk) said they were having a problem with people following the mail trucks and stealing mail!

On a brighter note, the people who sent the packages were super and I have no complaints with them. PayPal so far has been non-responsive and yes, A USPS theft complaint was filed along with a police report. While I have no confidence in PayPal or the USPS will make either of us whole, the sellers were awesome to work with.

In summary, if you order something important to you with USPS mail shipping, don't expect insurance to cover you from SCUMBAG PORCH PIRATES! Signature Confirmation will prevent a thief from following the mail truck from getting your package if you don't answer the door for whatever reason.

I hope I am wrong and either PayPal will make us whole or, the police will catch the scumbag with my package or, the Postal Inspector will catch the person following the mail trucks and give them the 5-year federal penalty (which won't be waived due to Coronavirus ).

In summary, use signature confirmation on your mail if you really care about it. Sure it is a bit of a hassle but, it isn't worth the grief that comes from porch pirates. Ask yourself why UPS is setting up delivery points these days. This isn't a problem going away anytime soon.

 

[WValtakis]

Unfortunately, no carriers are collecting signatures right now due to social distancing recommendations. Signature Confirmation is a waste of money for right now.

 

[JPD1998]

My USPS carrier will leave a pickup slip for packages requiring a signature.
She won't knock on the door or leave a package. I have to go to the post office and pick them up after 3pm.

 

[WValtakis]

My USPS carrier will leave a pickup slip for packages requiring a signature.
She won't knock on the door or leave a package. I have to go to the post office and pick them up after 3pm.

This is the safest course if you don't mind the hassle...you could also try talking to your mail carrier, mine has been incredibly helpful with my package delivery during all this.

 

[JPD1998]

This is the safest course if you don't mind the hassle...you could also try talking to your mail carrier, mine has been incredibly helpful with my package delivery during all this.

She's been doing that since March.
And yes it's a royal pain.

The only way I get those packages is if I catch her at the mailbox and sign for it.
I might ask her if she can blow the horn....

Anything without a signature confirmation is placed in the mail box.
Luckily only one of my favorite vendors is shipping with a signature confirmation.

 

[WValtakis]

She's been doing that since March.
And yes it's a royal pain.

The only way I get those packages is if I catch her at the mailbox and sign for it.
I might ask her if she can blow the horn....

Anything without a signature confirmation is placed in the mail box.
Luckily only one of my favorite vendors is shipping with a signature confirmation.

Ours started doing the same thing in March too, but after talking with him a bit we were able to work out a system...he texts us if he has a package so we can grab it and we can text him to let him know we have a pickup

 

[Sid Post]

Unfortunately, no carriers are collecting signatures right now due to social distancing recommendations. Signature Confirmation is a waste of money for right now.

I'm fine with a note left that it wasn't delivered due to signature confirmation requirements so, I need to either sign it and release the package or go to the post office to pick it up in person. One package was scheduled for delivery this week so, while I was looking for it to arrive much later, it came unexpectedly so I had no chance to catch it and instead of just getting one package they got two.

What I don't want to do is support porch pirates with a purchase. Signature confirmation will help prevent this from happening again.

 

[WValtakis]

Signature confirmation will help prevent this from happening again.

Except it won't right now, because they aren't collecting signatures like I mentioned Your best bet is to make friends with your mail carrier so you can figure out something acceptable while this situation is ongoing.

 

[Sid Post]

Except it won't right now, because they aren't collecting signatures like I mentioned Your best bet is to make friends with your mail carrier so you can figure out something acceptable while this situation is ongoing.

I'm not sure what is going on at your local post office. Out here, if my gate is locked, they will leave a notice. If I don't come to my door they will leave a notice. I have had the sticky note left on my door as well while home which I assume is a substitute driver.

And, yes I know my mail carrier very well having lived here for many years. She is simply awesome! I had some hatching eggs that were not labeled correctly that ended up on her route and she was super easy to contact and meet on her route.

I spoke with her today and she said she was out on the day in question and her substitute driver was supposed to bring any package that the mailbox would not close on to the house PERIOD!

 

[AntDog]

Right now my mail man is putting everything in the mailbox signature confirmation or not. He told me if it’s marked signature confirmation they just sign for it themselves and put it in the box.

My subdivision has locking mailboxes though so it’s not a problem.

 

[LastRodeo]

I had two packages stolen on Saturday from my mailbox. I suspect they were long enough to not allow the mailbox door to close. Well, I went to get them (both USPS) and nothing was there!

GPS coordinates from the Post Office indicate they were actually placed in my mailbox. Since the USPS says they were delivered, insurance is null and void.

In retrospect, signature confirmation WOULD NOT ALLOW the mail carrier to simply chuck them into a mailbox and walk away. With the increased delivery pressure from Amazon packages, I understand mail carriers are under a lot of stress to deliver as fast as possible so, I have a hard time blaming them and really blame the 'system' which fails to take "porch pirates" into account. When I went to the post office, they (front desk) said they were having a problem with people following the mail trucks and stealing mail!

On a brighter note, the people who sent the packages were super and I have no complaints with them. PayPal so far has been non-responsive and yes, A USPS theft complaint was filed along with a police report. While I have no confidence in PayPal or the USPS will make either of us whole, the sellers were awesome to work with.

In summary, if you order something important to you with USPS mail shipping, don't expect insurance to cover you from SCUMBAG PORCH PIRATES! Signature Confirmation will prevent a thief from following the mail truck from getting your package if you don't answer the door for whatever reason.

I hope I am wrong and either PayPal will make us whole or, the police will catch the scumbag with my package or, the Postal Inspector will catch the person following the mail trucks and give them the 5-year federal penalty (which won't be waived due to Coronavirus ).

In summary, use signature confirmation on your mail if you really care about it. Sure it is a bit of a hassle but, it isn't worth the grief that comes from porch pirates. Ask yourself why UPS is setting up delivery points these days. This isn't a problem going away anytime soon.

Many of my neighbors have security cameras, maybe check to see if anyone captured the thief on video or at least the vehicle following the mail carrier.

 

[Sid Post]

No security cameras are available. The game cameras my friend put up were stolen just as mine were. The neighbors don't have any that are in range of my mailbox so there really isn't any way to even figure out which vehicle it was.

 

[AntDog]

The main problem I’ve been having with USPS is the shipping times have slowed to a crawl. Priority mail used to be 2-3 days, now it’s 6+. I say if it’s taking double the time it ought to be half the price.

 

[WValtakis]

The main problem I’ve been having with USPS is the shipping times have slowed to a crawl. Priority mail used to be 2-3 days, now it’s 6+. I say if it’s taking double the time it ought to be half the price.

It's not their fault that they're not allowed enough hours to clear the backlog leading to a massive slowdown of the US mail.

 

[AntDog]

It's not their fault that they're not allowed enough hours to clear the backlog leading to a massive slowdown of the US mail.

Might not be their fault, but they’re all gonna reap the repercussions...

I don’t give much of a damn about any aspect of it other than I’m tired of having to say “where’s my sh!t?” In my area I could easily switch to UPS (for outgoing packages bare minimum, and for whatever I order if it’s an option) and I’m going to do just that.

 

[WValtakis]

Might not be their fault, but they’re all gonna reap the repercussions...

I don’t give much of a damn about any aspect of it other than I’m tired of having to say “where’s my sh!t?” In my area I could easily switch to UPS (for outgoing packages bare minimum, and for whatever I order if it’s an option) and I’m going to do just that.

Without getting into things we shouldn't here, I have to say I feel thats a very short-sighted approach. Also, with UPS ground you'll be paying at least twice as much for a guaranteed 5-7 day delivery time (much slower than typical Priority).

 

[AntDog]

Without getting into things we shouldn't here, I have to say I feel thats a very short-sighted approach. Also, with UPS ground you'll be paying at least twice as much for a guaranteed 5-7 day delivery time (much slower than typical Priority).

Short sighted in what way? I should just accept that it’s taking over double as long to receive and ship my mail and keep paying the same price for it? I only play the okie-doke game for so long before I find an alternative.

I beg to differ on UPS. That’s the only service I use at work, so I’m very familiar with it. It goes by weight. Up to a pound of weight (usually what you can fit into a small USPS priority flat rate box) is around eight bucks.

The shipping speed in most cases would be much faster than USPS has been lately, unless it’s from one extreme end of the CONUS to the other, and even then it would be the same transit time USPS priority is taking to ship packages shorter distances.

 

[WValtakis]

Short sighted in what way? I should just accept that it’s taking over double as long to receive and ship my mail and keep paying the same price for it? I only play the okie-doke game for so long before I find an alternative.

I beg to differ on UPS. That’s the only service I use at work, so I’m very familiar with it. It goes by weight. Up to a pound of weight (usually what you can fit into a small USPS priority flat rate box) is around eight bucks.

The shipping speed in most cases would be much faster than USPS has been lately, unless it’s from one extreme end of the CONUS to the other, and even then it would be the same transit time USPS priority is taking to ship packages shorter distances.

All I can say is, do some research on WHY the mail has slowed down drastically in the last month and I'm sure my reasoning will become clear.

Business UPS accounts get drastically different rates than an individual shipping from a UPS store or scheduling a pickup...I've never been quoted a price less than double the equivalent USPS service cost.

 

[AntDog]

All I can say is, do some research on WHY the mail has slowed down drastically in the last month and I'm sure my reasoning will become clear.

Business UPS accounts get drastically different rates than an individual shipping from a UPS store or scheduling a pickup...I've never been quoted a price less than double the equivalent USPS service cost.

I know why it has slowed down. Quite frankly, it doesn’t concern me. I only want to get things where they’re going ASAP. That’s the “product” I’m paying for. I’m not going to stick with something that’s slower when I have access to faster (with reliable tracking) for around the same price.

You should check out current UPS rates. Business accounts do get different rates, but they’re not drastically different. Residential is around $10 for a pound. Just checked the last thing I shipped and it would’ve been 2 day transit time from Texas to Pennsylvania.

 

[brownshoe]

I had two packages stolen on Saturday from my mailbox. I suspect they were long enough to not allow the mailbox door to close. Well, I went to get them (both USPS) and nothing was there!

GPS coordinates from the Post Office indicate they were actually placed in my mailbox. Since the USPS says they were delivered, insurance is null and void.

In retrospect, signature confirmation WOULD NOT ALLOW the mail carrier to simply chuck them into a mailbox and walk away. With the increased delivery pressure from Amazon packages, I understand mail carriers are under a lot of stress to deliver as fast as possible so, I have a hard time blaming them and really blame the 'system' which fails to take "porch pirates" into account. When I went to the post office, they (front desk) said they were having a problem with people following the mail trucks and stealing mail!

On a brighter note, the people who sent the packages were super and I have no complaints with them. PayPal so far has been non-responsive and yes, A USPS theft complaint was filed along with a police report. While I have no confidence in PayPal or the USPS will make either of us whole, the sellers were awesome to work with.

In summary, if you order something important to you with USPS mail shipping, don't expect insurance to cover you from SCUMBAG PORCH PIRATES! Signature Confirmation will prevent a thief from following the mail truck from getting your package if you don't answer the door for whatever reason.

I hope I am wrong and either PayPal will make us whole or, the police will catch the scumbag with my package or, the Postal Inspector will catch the person following the mail trucks and give them the 5-year federal penalty (which won't be waived due to Coronavirus ).

In summary, use signature confirmation on your mail if you really care about it. Sure it is a bit of a hassle but, it isn't worth the grief that comes from porch pirates. Ask yourself why UPS is setting up delivery points these days. This isn't a problem going away anytime soon.

It may be your neighbors who are stealing your stuff, be aware.