thief stealing packages from building

Can't see the picture....

Looks similar to the woman who I found in my building recently, but can't really see her face clear enough in the picture to say for sure. Same thing, stealing packages and mail. I heard she was arrested recently but she could be out and up to her old tricks, or we have multiple mail thieves in this neighborhood.

landlord said:

I think she stole the picture

Haaa!

It's stuff like this that makes me so nervous when I come home to find all my mail left in a pile in front of my mailbox.

That looks like a pretty secure lobby to me. I wonder who let her in?

OT: Please don't buzz random people in. Or buzz in a Chinese or other takeout guy unless you ordered takeout food.

whynot_31 said:

bkchickie wrote: Package theft is an ongoing problem in our building. We're working on a solution (one of those Amazon-type locker thingies would be great, but no one seems to produce them for a residential setting) and getting cameras installed in the lobby. Meanwhile, we're recommending that people have packages delivered elsewhere, which many residents seem reluctant to do.

"Amazon-type locker thingies":

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=480&bih=268&site=webhp&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=U__yUYPJNdbK4AP7m4GABg&q=amazon+locker&oq=amazon+locker&gs_l=mobile-gws-serp.12..0l5.4784.10186.0.14342.16.10.0.2.2.2.460.2350.0j3j5j1j1.10.0....0...1c.1.22.mobile-gws-serp..7.9.1719.bIH9cgQBiwM

As a result of having a somewhat small building, I wonder if you could get away with something far less complicated than the Amazon-type locker thingies which store each package individually.

For example, I used to live in a building where there was a see thru cage for the local dry cleaner to drop off and pick up stuff. The cage had a combination lock, and the combination was well known by the residents.

This was done under the theory that the local thieves always would always find a way into our midsize building, but we this solution could (and did!) stop them from messing with the dry cleaning.

Note: System will fail if actual building residents steal....

Thanks, WhyNot. When I last looked at the Amazon Lockers, I couldn't find a system that was available commercially. Maybe things have changed.

Sadly, we're not sure if the thefts are outside visitors or building residents--it may be a combination. Thus, the cameras as a first step.

I spoke to my spy who has his finger on the pulse in the neighborhood and he confirmed this woman is different from the one I found in my building. He has seen both and recently caught this woman trying to break into a building on Washington by St. Marks. The woman I saw was thinner and had more of a drifter vibe with tons of plastic shopping bags as her bags. She also did not have dreads.

homeowner said:

Well, if Congress has anything to say about it, these women are going to be out of business. The proposal is to stop all weekday service to homes and move to suburban multi-boxes located around the neighborhood, where you'd go and pick up your mail with a key.

Given our situation, I would be fine with that. I'd much rather walk to a multi-box located 1/4th mi from my apartment to get a package than that gawd-forsaken box known as the 11238 post office.

I'd switch all my bills to e-bills, and all my magazines to electronic versions. I wouldn't be only one to do that. Watch mail volume plummet!

@BKChickie I believe the are called cluster boxes

Cadman Plaza has one of these

GoPost

[video]

[/video]

I've tried out the Amazon Locker at Staples in NYC too.. pretty cool

With all this recent poo-pooing of the post office.. I gotta say some really cool things are happening

For Starters they are proposing a recycling program at a National Level (rather than our Local Sanitation Department)

http://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/comments/2013/7/1373837092.html/2/20

I think this Google Robot Fleet Proposal is right on the money...

Could Autonomous Vehicles Save the USPS?

http://www.govtech.com/transportation/Could-Autonomous-Vehicles-Save-the-USPS.html

And I've heard ideas for USPS as a hosting service for Wills and a permanent email addy (including routing) for all U.S. citizens--- both which are great ideas

Almost positive I interrupted the woman with the dreads casing my apartment building on Sterling and Washington tonight around 8pm. Our building was previously hit by a mail thief who unfortunately was not caught on surveillance cameras. She was snooping around our front door and backyard gate. When I asked if I could help her, she replied, "I'm looking for the guy who cleans up around here." I rather sternly said there was no such person, and she ambled away. I took a photo of her walking away but am having trouble uploading it. Any help appreciated.

I would report it to the police and get them to document it (with this picture and a print out of ltjbukem's photos and post.)

Though your report alone will probably not catch her, the documentation will be useful in catching and convicting her. Hell, print it out and post it in your building too. Get the word out.

just walked past her sitting at the bus stop at Sterling and Washington

and believe me; it's the same woman in all three instances. she's got the same exact clothes on in the 2nd and 3rd shots and i know her face well

Someone's nodding.

Some zooming in on the photo seems to indicate the box is from a "Collegiate 5 piece childrens dish set". Here's an ebay listing that appears to describe the contents:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/OFFICIALLY-LICENSED-KIDS-DISH-SET-COLLEGE-5-PIECE-DISH-SET-COLLEGE-DISH-SET-5-PC-/151045044017?pt=US_NCAA_Fan_Shop&var=&hash=item68d0704dd5

I think it is the parents of the kids who are interested in college football and nearly indestructible dishware.

Folks interested in involving the police may be most successful if she is caught by them in the building.

...which I think would be difficult, given that their response times to such minor incidents/incursions isn't always quick.