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Mail theft on the rise?
10/06/2011 5:23 PM by John M
I had a fed ex package delivered on 9/23 & left on my porch. Never received it. It’s presumed stolen. Also have not received at least 1 USPS package & a card with a personal check & I’m now thinking they were stolen as well. I talked to RPD this week & the USPS to file reports. The officer finishing my report today said that there’s been a recent increase in package theft from the Church Hill area.
I’ve gotten a few similar submissions over the past few weeks.
TAGGED: crime
Uh, yeah, “increase” is an understatement. We’ve had half a dozen Netflix stolen. We’ve also had THREE credit card replacements stolen, one after the other. That was even more frustrating because we kept thinking “maybe it will show up tomorrow” and then waiting longer before calling the bank to issue another replacement, and continue to wait. Eventually we had the replacement mailed elsewhere. It makes no sense because the cards were never activated.
I called the police and they said without a description there’s nothing they can do, but I could fill out the report if I wanted. I mainly called out of courtesy in case they were tracking this kind of activity (they didn’t seem to care). In speaking with my mail carrier, he said that he had not heard others reporting similar issues. So then we discussed best options for locking mailboxes or security cameras. I almost feel like getting the security camera just so I can catch the bastards. Especially since they stole my birthday presents last year too.
So if you see anyone hawking mountaineering books or random discs of Dexter, let me know. Or you know, collecting credit cards that don’t work.
I had two packages stolen about a year and a half ago. They were fiber for spinning into yarn. Nothing of value. I also had a box stolen that was gifts for my kids. Coloring books, Kumon books, coffee (for me and the husband) and measuring cups.
I started having my packages sent to my mother’s house and have asked my postal carrier to no longer deliver packages. Leave a note and I will pick up.
My neighbor recently had her iron fencing ripped out of the ground and stolen. The small ones that line a garden bed.
I had a kid’s bike that I set out side with a free sign that no one took for weeks. Then I moved it up on to the porch and it sat there for about 6 months. It finally got “stolen” about a month ago.
As far as the packages go, rent a box at the UPS store. They will accept packages shipped to you by any carrier. We do this in the Fan to avoid what you are experiencing.
Funny addition to my original post: we got a locking mailbox & the mailman left our mail on the steps.
We’ve had a bunch of packages taken from our front steps in the last few weeks. I talked to RPD as well, and they seemed unfazed and uninterested. I’ve toyed with the idea of leaving a box full of garbage disguised as a UPS shipment for the degenerates to race home to open. We should all do the same.
#6 -> haha…I love the idea.
On which blocks do you guys live? I’m always curious about where theft is happening like this and just in general. I notice how much “stuff” people have in their yards and on their porches.
I sometimes think, “Oh yeah, this is a decent block, no wonder they just leave everything all over,” but then realize it’s just random and/or depends just how comfortable the residents are right there as I walk by the houses.
As for mail stories, the above sound pretty pathetic – obviously people are pretty desperate to seek out cards, etc. via mail and think they can actually get away w/ it.
I remember a friend’s housemate had soda cans stolen from his car and trash bags (prob w/ cans) stolen from the next block from me. It was a shitty car, probably unlocked, but still… that just shows how desperate people are. You see people dumpster diving all of the time. Not that stealing mail is the same, but people are desperate to get money somehow.
Laura, we live in the 3400 block of Marshall and really have no other issues with theft or security. So it is pretty odd. I too have toyed with the idea of mailing myself a fake package of junk so I can catch the thief on video.
I do think it’s interesting how the thieves seemingly target specific areas. There’s a house on Broad just around the corner from us that leaves their strollers out front 24/7. They’re never touched. We have two chairs on our front porch but that’s all that I’m willing to risk.
Well, that’s good I guess… you’re very close to my house. I don’t have anything on my front porch, and I mostly just see stuff out in backyards near my place. My neighbors must feel safer hiding it there than out in clear view for everyone.
I live in the 300 block of N 32nd St. My neighbor caught a woman going through my mail box 2 weeks ago. She did not take anything, because she was caught in the act. My neighbor knows the first name of the woman and could provide a description. I called the police, gave them her description, etc., along with my address. The police could not have been less interested. As of now, I am having all packages sent to my work address.
About a month ago I had a bill that I mailed out (containing a check) that didn’t reach its destination and I didn’t really think anything of it and last week I put two pieces of mail out and came out a couple hrs later to find them gone so I assumed they had been picked up by a postal worker…this past Tue I look at my bank act and see someone had somehow copied and forged one of my checks and cashed it at a 7-11 for $100! We live in the 500 block of N 24th St. and I’ve never had any problems with theft and never felt unsafe and now it sucks that I’m paranoid about someone coming up onto my porch and going through my mail. We filed a report with the RPD but there’s really nothing they can do it seems.
I know the people who leave their strollers on the porch 24/7; they live a few houses from me. My front porch only has a few chairs, and they’re inexpensive.
There’s never been anything stolen from my porch or mailbox as far as I know. However, there are times around 1 or 2 am people will sit on my porch walking from the Hill cafe. They look to be college age, and don’t really bother anything accept my dog. He doesn’t like it very much and they’ll usually continue on their journey once hearing him bark.
I assume they’re using my front porch as a pit-stop on their way home…I was in college once 🙂
Interesting. I’ve been living on the Hill for 12 years in various places and never had a problem with mail or package deliveries. It’s true that we pay basically all of our bills online, and tend to have packages delivered to work, but there have been many unexpected packages left sitting on our front porch for hours (700 block of N. 23rd), never a problem.
As to the RPD response (or lack thereof) I believe that the Postmaster General is responsible for investigating and prosecuting crimes involving the USPS. Calling the main branch on Brook Road would be my first step if I suspected a problem. Seems like someone in the post office would want to protect what little market share they have left.
What little market share they have left is protected by law and willingness to take on unprofitable business that other carriers won’t 😉
Josh #13, I think you’re correct about the USPS investigating, which makes the RPD response (or lack of) make more sense. Have a friend who had a check stolen from his house and as I recall the USPS did the main investigation. However – is Brook Road still the main post office, or has it moved to the new facility down off of Williamsburg Road? I’m not sure, would be interested in the answer. And I wouldn’t expect a response from the folks on 25th Street if I had mail or packages stolen, I doubt they know how to respond.
I had two packages stolen with delivery dates on the 22nd. I live on 22nd street.
I live at Princess Anne & 21st. The theft here occurred around the 21st- 24th here too. We’ve since realized other mail that never arrived (new registration for 1 vehicle). We’ve had packages sit on our porch for *days* in the past when out of town, so this is a very new problem for us in our 7 years at this address.
A few other thoughts:
RPD said no one has gotten a description of the thief, so I’m disappointed to read that “lucky dog” had one & got little attention.
Re: USPS investigating: i filed a report via the 800 number. I heard back from a woman at East End Post Office about 4 days later who let me know there is ‘nothing we can do’ as none of the mail or packages were insured or tracked. I said ‘well, I’m sure you at least want to know that mail is being stolen locally’ and while she agreed, I knew nothing would be done by them. She mentioned making note of what they deliver to us so we can compare with what we actually got if there are more issues.
She also said that for them to not leave packages there has to be a sign on the porch. I mentioned the mail delivery to the steps instead of the locked mailbox…
We left a note to put mail IN the locking mailbox & to leave no packages. I got a UPS box. I do too much online shopping to deal with constantly losing packages. I hate to spend the $ to just get mail, but for someone to walk up 6 stairs from street level & go through my mail with 2 barking dogs yelling at them, I think they are pretty ballsy & will be back.
I usually have packages delivered to my work place for fear of them being stolen but the 1 or 2 that have been delivered in the last year to our house were waiting for us when we came home.
When we first moved here though, someone stole a box of cleaning supplies off our porch (that we forgot to bring in during the move) and about 5 weeks ago someone ripped up 1/2 of our little cedar fencing for our front garden.
We live on Clay between 26th and 27th streets.
We had our fifth package stolen from our porch in the past three weeks today. We missed the delivery by two hours. Our home is located on 29th and Marshall. Stinks that we can’t trust our community any more. RPD does not seem to care. Would love to set up a security camera or perform a stake out.
On Friday there was a woman on the corner of 33rd and Marshall trying to sell what appeared to be the contents of someone’s order from J. Crew, a red silk blouse and grey dress pants, women’s size 0, both in their clear plastic mail order packaging.
This has to be the same person that tried to go through my mail box 2 weeks ago but was caught in the act by my neighbor. I live at N 32nd and E Marshall. I know that her name is Sheila. She is short – around 5’4″ and dark skinned. I know where she lives but I am not comfortable giving out that information here. I reported my incident to the police and I encourage #19 and 20 to do the same.
wow. this sucks.
i know I’ve lost a few packages but had no idea this problem was so rampant.
I’ve had 2 more packages stolen. One out of mail box and another off of my front porch. I have reported both incidents to the US Postal Service and the Richmond Police. I was advised by the police to have my mail held at the post office.
I requested that the Post Office not leave packages on my porch, and to notify me, and I will pick up my packages at the post office. That worked for about a week. Then they started leaving packages on porch again. I also just had a package stolen. Gee, I wonder why the Post Office is going out of business. Also, not able to get anyone to answer the phone when trying to call.
i put a big note on my mailbox because my sister in law sent a package here. i got the orange note today that i need to pick it up.
i suggest every one put a HUGE sign on your front door and your mailbox that says “DO NOT DELIVER PACKAGES”
did you just tell someone or leave a note?
telling someone only works until your postal worker changes.
it isn’t reasonable to expect them to remember every house that doesn’t want packages delivered. leave a note though. works every time.
The mail service in Church Hill sucks. I recently moved and put in a change of address 30 days in advance to start forwarding 9/29. I was back on the hill to pick up something I had left in the hold house and there was mail that hadn’t been forwarded a week and a half after that date. Amazing! And they don’t understand why they are hemorrhaging money. Maybe if the carriers got the damn blue tooth headsets off and paid attention to what they are doing things might be better.
I was in the Post Office filing a claim of another package taken from porch, when the employee asked me if I wanted to stop packages being delivered and they would leave me a card for pick up. She then proceeded to fill out a form. And “just a neighbor”. STop with telling everyone how to think, and what’s reasonable, and what’s not. If a business isn’t able to provide a service, then they should offer it. period
meant to say “shouldn’t” offer it. Plus, employee should have told me to leave a note on door. Maybe if I wansn’t given false info, another package wouldn’t have been taken.
Our mailman is great and, when he is on the job, our mail gets delivered correctly. When he is not on the job, we get a lot of mail that is not our’s and I assume a lot of our mail goes some place else. However, its certainly not the fault of the post office that some low life is stealing our mail. I do wish they and the police cared a bit more, especially since the problem seems to be rampant between N 33rd and N31st on both E Marshall and E Broad. I am putting our mail on hold at the post office, opening a post office box and having everything forwarded there. I am lucky because my work does not care if I have packages sent there, so that’s what I will do from now on. Not everyone is as lucky.
#30,
hence the name LUCKY dog! LOL
I deliver packages in the neighborhood, and I have yet to see a theft occur, however, that’s not to say that it doesn’t happen. Supposedly last Christmas, “package bandits” were staking out, shadowing deliver drivers, and scooping up the deliveries soon after they were left by the drivers. My suggestion to absolutely avoid theft-get your stuff sent to your work address. If that’s not an option, leave a note each time with alternate delivery locations, i.e., your neighbor who might be home, a corner cafe, etc. Or, leave your recycle bin on your porch, or something like a yard tarp so the couriers can hide your packages out of sight. Don’t expect delivery companies to keep bringing your stuff back so they can hand it to you in person, because that is just not feasible. Shippers pay certain charges to have their shipments delivered within a time-definite schedule, so the couriers have no choice but to leave the packages according to the shipper’s requests. So yes, you as the consignee, really don’t have a say-so unless you specify otherwise, or pay extra for a “signature required.” I know this seems silly, especially since you had to pay “shipping and handling” when you made your purchase, but remember, the SHIPPER is the one paying the deliver company directly, so they want their stuff delivered by any means necessary. Bottom-line: communicate with your drivers. LEAVE NOTES with instructions. If you want it put on your back deck, then leave your gate unlatched and tell the driver to take it back there and latch the gate when he leaves. LEAVE NOTES, such as, “please leave packages under grill,” or “please take to 311 N. 32nd St.” Be specific! Don’t leave a generalized remark like “do not deliver.” Ha Ha-do not deliver? Are you kidding me? That’s what I get paid to do-deliver packages. Not ride around with them like a mobile warehouse.
And by the way, the police are on the prowl for package bandits. I had a bike cop today interview on E. Grace St. about the theft problem.
The problem area in the neighborhood noted in the prior posts seems logical, especially considering the amount of loitering each day in that vicinity. Residents in those blocks may want to hound the police about enforcing loitering laws, if they exist. All the crime problems I’ve witnessed in the neighborhood are typical near a Q-Marts or schools, like the ones in those blocks mentioned.
@34 we don’t have anti-loitering laws/ordinances in RVA. For public spaces like sidewalks, streets, parks, etc, anyone can hang out as long as they like.
2 packages stolen in the last month. Whoever it was went into the alley behind our house, took everything out of the box, and then threw the empty box in our trash bin. If anyone sees someone wearing a Vikings Brett Favre jersey or using a pink Breast Cancer Awareness QB towel, they’re the thief or a friend of theirs.
oh lord sunny. take the stick out of your ass.
when i went to the PO to report a “stolen” package, they asked me if i wanted to have my package delivery stopped. i said yes, and two days later a package was delivered. TELLING them verbally does nothing and it simply isn’t reasonable to expect them to remember that you TOLD them. If they have since come up with a form to help them keep it straight, that is clearly a different story. Then the expectation is different. Still, when the mail carriers are turning over and over…your mail carrier may remember on his shift, but the next guy may not. Leave a note. Still the best method.
But by all means, sunny, continue to believe they will remember without a note and keep saying good-bye to your deliveries.
“oh lord sunny. take the stick out of your ass.”
Thank you @37.
What a lovely person you are. I will not be like James and Alex and argue w/someone as ignorant as you. But thanks again for your telling orders.
I have no desire to argue with you. You are the one who took jabs at me out of the gate.
Don’t put a sign out….it no way does it effect me. I wasn’t telling anyone anything. Your making assumptions. All I said was it was absurd to expect a postal worker to remember what you VERBALLY told them. They aren’t machines. They are people. But if you want to pretend that I a some how bossing you around and try to find some kind battle here, by all means, try to find a battle. It isn’t there. I offered a suggestion that has proven effective for me. It was a suggestion. You are trying to find a fight where there isn’t one. Get a hobby.
In all of the jobs that I have held, I would absolutely have been expected to remember what someone told me verbally. If I thought I might forget, I would write it down.
Would a teacher be expected to remember what a parent told them verbally about a student? I know I would expect a teacher to remember and/or write it down if I told them something important about one of their students.
What is the average number of houses a mail carrier serves?
I am expected to remember some things but the important stuff (IEPs) is always given in writing. I don’t remember everything and I only teacher 150 kids. I’m a human.
Mail carriers are also not consistent from day to day. Routes change regularly. I have at least three carriers a week. So times a normal route times three, assuming some carriers may change routes at least that many times a week.
If a business isn’t able to follow through with services they offer, they shouldn’t offer the services. No if’s, and’s, but’s, or excuses! And “just a neighbor”, please tell me where I said that I wouldn’t put a sign out? As a teacher, do you tell your students to “take the stick out of your ass.”. and do you bully your students telling them to get a hobby because they may have a different opinion than yours? Do you have any idea what I do and/or if I have a hobby? And what business is it of your?
I don’t know about your hobby nor do I care with the way you approached me in this thread. You called me a bully because I made a non-threatening suggestion that a sign worked for me. I offered a solution to a problem.
I have not once said that you had to put out a sign nor did I say that it was the best or only method. I never offered that the post office was right in the way they handle lost/stolen packages. I’ve never said I wasn’t frustrated by the loss of my own packages.
YOU made erroneous assumptions about my tone based on what I can only assume are ill-harbored feelings about me based on other threads. Your problem, not mine.
You came off aggressive and rude. That wasn’t me, no matter how you try to twist. I suggested you get a hobby if the best thing you have to do is pick on me for saying it was a good idea to put a sign on your mailbox.
I am not bullying anyone here and I’m certainly not bullying you. You imagined a problem and took it upon yourself to fight a battle that didn’t exist. So, now because you don’t like me based on whatever…I am no longer to enter in to a thread offering a suggestion about lost mail?
Do you even see how out of the park your attack was? Clearly not as you keep trying to peg something on me that isn’t there.
I have no idea why I’m even feeding this troll. If you want to “battle” me on a different issue where we disagree…please, lets talk. But I don’t see a fight here worth fighting.
You are trying to make a gremlin out of a puppy.
Wow people. Nice descent into namecalling and bitchiness.
:just a neighbor: is absolutely correct–mail carriers change all the time in this hood, so you can’t blame the carrier who has never carried your mail before that he had no idea that you told the carrier who worked the route last month to not deliver packages.
I had one carrier tell me years ago that the routes in the East End never really have permanent carriers (as opposed to some neighborhoods in Richmond who have had the same carriers for years, I used to live in one where the same carrier delivered mail for over 20 years and knew everyone on a first-name basis, I could tell him I was going out of town and he would take care of everything for me).
We have got an entirely different situation, and one that won’t change and will probably get worse. Sucks for us, but if you think about it for a sec, I think the carriers would also probably like more stability than they are getting. I am sure they would like a regular route, too, as opposed to dealing with constant change.
what’s the big problem with putting a sign up on your mailbox stating “Do Not Leave Packages”?
FWIW If I had a kid in a classroom, I would certainly write a note to state that my child had an allergy or needed to take medication or whatever else that could require a teacher’s intervention beyond the normal scope of instruction. I would certainly NOT just verbalize it. That would be a poor effort on my part. But, I don’t think you can compare taking care of a child to delivering your mail, it’s a faulty analogy anyway.
Let’s not forget the “real” problem: Some low life is stealing our mail. That’s not the fault of the mail carriers. My regular mail carrier is absolutely great and he takes great pride in his work. But he needs to take his vacation and some times he is out sick. Regardless, he cannot stay at my house 24/7 to guard my mail from theft.
The police do seem to have gotten the word. When I came home from work yesterday, I had 8 detectives and several uniformed officers on my block canvassing the neighbors about mail theft and any packages that have gone missing. I’m on the same block as Lucky Dog, I haven’t had any problems, but they were certainly speaking with everyone who was home at 5.30 about the problem. Thank you RPD.
lucky dog is right. My old mail carrier always hid my packages behind our front porch furniture or plants, so nothing ever got stolen. However, it is not the carriers fault that your mail goes missing. Blame the asshole criminals that wander the neighborhood and steal your stuff.
Agreed James! It’s really not the mail carrier’s fault that some a-hole criminal stole packages. I always have packages shipped to my office instead of my home. Been doing that for years and never had a problem.
Word is that one of the individuals responsible for stealing mail and packages on our block has been identified and a warrent for her arrest has been issued. She has an accomplice, who serves as look out, but that person has not been identified.
My problem has not been mail theft, but I have not actually been receiving my mail. I’ve gone to the post office to complain. It is not my carrier. Apparently, there is some sort of problem at the distribution center in Sandston. NBC12 is doing a report on this problem tonight at 11 p.m. This morning they showed a huge warehouse full of undelivered mail. Wonder how many of my magazines are in there?
I don’t see where anyone blames the carriers for stolen mail/packages.
Well I spoke too soon. A package was accidentally shipped to my old house yesterday. I showed up today to pick it up, and it was gone. I really hope one of my old neighbors has it. If anyone sees someone trying to sell some Upland 750ml bottles of beer, let me know. It is sad to think that someone will probably pour these out because they taste sour. 🙁 $60 in rare brew down the drain.
Filled out a police report today. Supposedly I am the third person today to report a stolen package in the east end. That just sucks.
Nope, I just see blame for suggesting a sign.
That sucks, James. I lost some thing in a package last year that had value only to some one who deals with spinning animal fibers. it sucks because they left the torn open package on my porch which means they knew it was worthless to them but took it anyhow.
I hope they catch the crooks.