# Given the spate of amazon package thefts, has anyone invented a practical countermeasure? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 19, 2018, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383 "2018-12-19T19:17:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kiwi\_Fruit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiwi_fruit/32/12_2.png) [@Kiwi\_Fruit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiwi_Fruit)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383/21 "2018-12-20T00:44:10Z")
Something like this [parcel drop box](https://www.homedepot.com/b/Hardware-Mailboxes-Posts-Addresses-Residential-Mailboxes-Parcel-Drop-Boxes/N-5yc1vZc8g4)? I’ve seen similar ones in NZ. Pop the parcel in the top and it drops into the bottom when the top door is shut again. Similar idea to the clothing drop off bins, but smaller. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383/22 "2018-12-20T01:21:38Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > It would make more sense to have some sort of lockbox on my property where they can deposit deliveries. It wouldn’t be immune to theft but it would be a deterrent. Just saw that **running coach** linked to just this type of device. I didn’t realize it until I clicked the links–from the description I thought it was a service like Amazon lockbox. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383/23 "2018-12-20T02:59:26Z")
I either have packages held for pickup at the local freight handler or it’s delivered to my work place. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383/24 "2018-12-20T03:28:13Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Did you read post #1? I didn’t. For reasons I cannot divulge here. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383/25 "2018-12-20T13:01:47Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > [Amazon In-home delivery](https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=202104360). This works by having an electronic “smart lock” on your door. Basically you authorize an Amazon delivery person to come into your home and leave the packages inside. A couple different vulnerabilities with Amazon lock described [here.](https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/02/05/amazon_key_hack/) ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383/26 "2018-12-20T13:06:38Z")
> [@XT](#): > > As the question seems to have been answered, I just want to say that the fart sprayer was a really nice touch wrt the ex-NASA guy and his little surprise for the thieves. 😛 Too bad he didn’t throw in a few mold spores for good measure. Or a flashbulb with a pack of firecrackers attached. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383/27 "2018-12-20T13:37:04Z")
In Australia the postal service Australia Post has a free 24/7 parcel locker service. I have used one for years and since I started never have parcels sent to my home address. I was assigned a unique locker number and my postal address for parcels is my name (if I want), my locker number and the post office I want the parcel sent to. Mostly I get them sent to the PO next door to where I work, less often to the one at the shops near home. Once I had stuff sent to where I was holidaying. They send an SMS and an email to let me know that it is there. I turn up to the bank of boxes, enter the access code they sent me and one of the boxes opens to reveal my parcel. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383/28 "2018-12-20T14:29:51Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > Too bad he didn’t throw in a few mold spores for good measure. Or a flashbulb with a pack of firecrackers attached. Those seem a bit over the top to me. I think the fart spray was the perfect touch. Smelly, and from an engineering perspective perfect in that it got the thieves to toss the package out so it could be recovered and re-used, but not harmful except to their expectations. ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383/29 "2018-12-20T14:41:34Z")
Amazon itself sells a surveillance camera system in a doorbell – [Ring](https://www.amazon.com/Ring-8VR1S7-0EU0-Video-Doorbell-2/dp/B072QLXK2T/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1545316755&sr=8-1&keywords=ring+doorbell). Before buying it you may want to read: [Amazon’s Disturbing Plan to Add Face Surveillance to Your Front Door](https://www.aclu.org/blog/privacy-technology/surveillance-technologies/amazons-disturbing-plan-add-face-surveillance-yo-0) ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383/30 "2018-12-20T15:58:12Z")
> [@Turble](#): > > Amazon itself sells a surveillance camera system in a doorbell – [Ring](https://www.amazon.com/Ring-8VR1S7-0EU0-Video-Doorbell-2/dp/B072QLXK2T/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1545316755&sr=8-1&keywords=ring+doorbell). About that… > **[Stolen Ring Video Doorbell Streams Video of its Theft in Progress | Digital...](https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/ring-video-doorbell-theft/)** > > Ring Video Doorbell thefts in one neighborhood raise questions about how much security the smart home devices actually provide. One homeowner and the police have a video of the theft in progress. Ring has a replacement policy for stolen devices, but... ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383/31 "2018-12-20T16:16:44Z")
I just have a whole bunch of trash and shit out on my porch. Maybe there’s a package in amongst the junk, or maybe it’s just an old used amazon box. Is it really worth it to sort through my junk to find out? It would seem not, as I’ve never had a package stolen from my porch. I’ve actually had a whole pile of packages sit on my porch for over a week, completely unmolested. Granted, we’ve not done this with preventing package thievery in mind, at all, but it seems to work. OTOH, then you’d have a crappy looking porch like mine. 😉 . ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383/32 "2018-12-20T16:45:21Z")
Being the devil’s advocate, what’s to prevent a thief from stealing the Landport box? And how are you going to get the Landport box delivered without it being stolen? If I were building a house, I would design something like a Landport box (disguised as a bench or similar) onto the front porch (or stoop). ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383/33 "2018-12-20T16:49:37Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > **Being the devil’s advocate, what’s to prevent a thief from stealing the Landport box?** And how are you going to get the Landport box delivered without it being stolen? > > If I were building a house, I would design something like a Landport box (disguised as a bench or similar) onto the front porch (or stoop). It bolts to the floor through the inside of the box. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383/34 "2018-12-20T16:50:21Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > Being the devil’s advocate, what’s to prevent a thief from stealing the Landport box? And how are you going to get the Landport box delivered without it being stolen?. First section in their [How it works](https://www.thelandport.com/learn-more/how-it-works/) page: > [@](#): > > Landport bolts down to its location, and attaches to concrete, asphalt or wood. DIY types can install it themselves. For a handyman, it’s an easy job that should take about fifteen minutes. It’s that simple. We even provide the appropriate anchors to take the guesswork out of what bolts to use. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383/35 "2018-12-20T17:58:53Z")
> [@Tzigone](#): > > Yeah, but it kills a lot of the convenience of ordering online (or at least of delivery), if I have to go somewhere else to get the package. For brick-and-click stores, you can just site-to-store it instead of home delivery if you want that. Like carryout v. delivery (where buying in store would be eating in the restaurant, I guess) . That really depends on exactly how it’s done. If Amazon is going to set up its own storefronts, there aren’t going to be enough to be convenient. If they do something more like UPS Access Points, where agreements are made with existing stores to allow packages to be shipped directly to the store, that’s another story. If I get a package sent by UPS and I don’t answer the door, they will leave it at the deli on the corner which is a UPS Access Point. And since I need to pass that corner to come home, it’s not inconvenient at all - and it’s far more convenient than going to the UPS facility to pick it up, as was necessary in the past. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383/36 "2018-12-20T18:13:22Z")
I don’t have stats, but I feel like package theft is actually decreasing a bit on its own lately. It’s probably a combination of factors, but my guess is that thieves are seeing the risk:reward changing because people are using dropbox options for high value things and people are simply ordering more low value stuff. Risking jail time to steal a couple spatulas or a box of dog treats is probably not worth it. Cell phones and sneakers and jewelry aren’t being left on doors nearly as often. Package theft was a big problem in my neighborhood for the past five or six years, but we’ve had fewer issues this past year (even as news reports about it seem to be increasing). ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383/37 "2018-12-20T19:40:05Z")
The other reason it may be dropping is more and more people have cameras filming their porches or have Alexa or other notifications to alert them so packages don’t remain outside for so long. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383/38 "2018-12-21T03:26:30Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Those seem a bit over the top to me. I think the fart spray was the perfect touch. Smelly, and from an engineering perspective perfect in that it got the thieves to toss the package out so it could be recovered and re-used, but not harmful except to their expectations. Over the top? For theft? Hey if the bank can put that exploding ink in wads of cash to mark up crooks I should be able to do the same. Why is their money more important than my merchandise? ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383/39 "2018-12-21T03:28:07Z")
Or better still, box up a pile of dog shit and leave it out on the porch. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-the-spate-of-amazon-package-thefts-has-anyone-invented-a-practical-countermeasure/826383/41 "2018-12-21T05:18:34Z")
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