The Plague of Porch Pirates

[AlbertC]

What Canada can learn from this Michigan city's use of doorbell cameras to catch criminals

Mayor of Windsor, Ont., wants his to be 1st Canadian city to sign deal with Amazon's Ring

Thomas Daigle · CBC News · Posted: Feb 18, 2020 4:00 AM ET

https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/livonia-michigan-windsor-ontario-ring-doorbell-1.5464761

 

[W. K. Lis]

At one time (1920's, 1930's), Toronto had milk delivered daily(?) to houses. The houses of the time had milk boxes built next to the side entrance. The delivery of milk used the boxes to hold the glass bottles and return the empties. They slowly disappeared.

From link.

Maybe it's time for a return of a "box" for parcel deliveries.

 

[gabe]

I wouldn't want the police to be able to access my cameras at their leisure.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I wouldn't want the police to be able to access my cameras at their leisure.

Or anyone in general. Not to mention these devices are notoriously insecure. IoT is just a little too much even for me.

AoD

 

[lenaitch]

At one time (1920's, 1930's), Toronto had milk delivered daily(?) to houses. The houses of the time had milk boxes built next to the side entrance. The delivery of milk used the boxes to hold the glass bottles and return the empties. They slowly disappeared.

From link.

Maybe it's time for a return of a "box" for parcel deliveries.

Had one in the house I grew up in. When I was younger, I could force open the inside door and squeeze in just enough to reach the main door lock if I forgot my key - the latches were notoriously insecure. The in-laws place still had one when we sold it a few years ago although the F-in-L had secured it years ago.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I'm glad to see the footage led to some arrests. Normally, when you search YouTube for vids on people caught stealing from porches it's no such thing, instead it's a vid showing someone stealing parcels without getting caught (i.e. apprehended) at all.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I wouldn't want the police to be able to access my cameras at their leisure.

Not just the police.

Ring security camera hacks see homeowners subjected to racial abuse, ransom demands

Multiple U.S. families have reported incidents of their Ring camera systems being hacked in recent days, raising questions as to whether the systems are allowing hackers

abcnews.go.com

We've moved so quickly to the 1984-like screens that watch us as we watch them.

 

[gabe]

Just about every month i get parcels from Amazon on my porch that i didn't order. The delivery drivers get my address mixed up with the condo's address across the street. When i call the logistics delivery company and politely explain the driver mixed up my address with the condo across the street. I'm usually met with a condescending smug response from the person on the phone. The last guy i phoned was a real jerk, I was so disgusted by his bad attitude i threw the damn box to the street corner, where someone ended up stealing it.


Amazon is rich, they can afford to replace the stolen goods.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I've never had anything shipped to my house. I have my parcels shipped to my workplace.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I've never had anything shipped to my house. I have my parcels shipped to my workplace.

Depending on your workplace that might not be a kosher thing to do. I have a PO Box, but certain couriers/retailers refuse to deliver to one.

AoD

 

[Admiral Beez]

Depending on your workplace that might not be a kosher thing to do. I have a PO Box, but certain couriers/retailers refuse to deliver to one.

AoD

On Parliament St. we have a Penguin Pickup. https://www.penguinpickup.com/ It's a good and free place for safe pick-up.

 

[AlbertC]

I went a little crazy with online shopping at one point earlier in the pandemic and must say I've only had one missing delivery. Fortunately, the refund policy was really easy and they instantly reimbursed me. My gut feeling is that it was the driver at fault, based on the app delivery notification and how quickly it went missing.

Delivery driver caught on video allegedly taking package he had just delivered

There has been a surge in online shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic and that means some packages may end up being targets for porch pirates.

toronto.ctvnews.ca

 

[gabe]

I went a little crazy with online shopping at one point earlier in the pandemic and must say I've only had one missing delivery. Fortunately, the refund policy was really easy and they instantly reimbursed me. My gut feeling is that it was the driver at fault, based on the app delivery notification and how quickly it went missing.

Delivery driver caught on video allegedly taking package he had just delivered

There has been a surge in online shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic and that means some packages may end up being targets for porch pirates.

toronto.ctvnews.ca

Amazon uses a lot of these third party Micky mouse delivery companies like Go Logistics Inc out of Mississauga. These guys are horrible, i have witnessed drivers throw packages from the sidewalk to the front door, they have left packages in my front yard, out in the open and even in the snow! I have had drivers mistakenly deliver packages to my door. And i call to complain, but they never send a driver out to pick up the package or even apologies, they act like it's my fault. Yeah i mistakenly have been living in the wrong house. I have also witness drivers double parked in bike lanes, go down one way streets the wrong way and blow through stop signs. It's like horrible driving skills is a job requirement.

I have never had any issues with UPS or Purolator.

 

[AlbertC]

Porch pirate in Mississauga got stopped and later arrested after getting his car stuck in a snow bank:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/package-theft-1.5863012