# When is it OK to Steech an Amazon Package? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 14, 2021, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250 "2021-06-14T15:34:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250/1 "2021-06-14T15:34:07Z")
So, we live at house # XX3. Three times, packages have come to us for #XX1. Which would be next door, but there is no XX1. Also, the name on the package does NOT match the family name of the house next door, where XX1 would be. We have notified Amazon, who has said they will retrieve the packages. They have been getting soggy on my front steps for a week (or more; they didn’t all come at once). At what point is it OK for me to decide they’re mine? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250/2 "2021-06-14T15:43:23Z")
> [@OldOlds](#): > > So, we live at house # XX3. Three times, packages have come to us for #XX1. Which would be next door, but there is no XX1. Also, the names do NOT match the family name of XX1. How do you know the family name of XX1 if there isn’t an XX1? ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250/3 "2021-06-14T15:44:48Z")
Sorry- I had a total fuzz-up there. What I meant is that the family name immediately next door, where XX1 would be, is different from the name on the package. I have edited the OP to correct this. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250/4 "2021-06-14T15:48:14Z")
Well, you did the first step, which was to notify Amazon. Most everything else will probably be under a reasonableness standard. How long is reasonable to wait for pickup, reasonable efforts to return the item to Amazon, etc. Personally, I would contact Amazon one more time and if they still don’t pick it up within a few days, then just do whatever I want with the package. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250/5 "2021-06-14T15:50:32Z")
The moral thing to do is put the packages on the stoop of the XX1 house and let them figure it out. There could be a legitimate reason the names don’t match. Maybe they have a guest staying with them or something like that. But legally I don’t know if you’re required to make any effort to correct the situation. One aspect of this is that you’re dealing with Amazon, which often doesn’t care about dealing with returns. Mostly the returns get put on a pallet and sold to wholesalers who sell the random stuff they get. Especially now that the package is ruined, they won’t want it back. If you call enough they’ll have a shipper come up, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve already written off the package as a loss and don’t care if it ends up in the garbage. But regardless, you should put the package on XX1 because you would want the people in XX1 to do the same for you. ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250/6 "2021-06-14T15:51:31Z")
There is no XX1. In these old neighborhoods they sometimes skip numbers because… reasons? ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250/7 "2021-06-14T15:55:26Z")
> [@OldOlds](#): > > Also, the name on the package does NOT match the family name of the house next door, where XX1 would be. Have you made a cursory effort to see if you can locate the packages’ named recipient ? Maybe a site like **[this one](https://www.searchpeoplefree.com/)**. We get ‘genuine’ mis-deliveries in our neighborhood All The Time. It stinks, but we’ve developed a collective good faith mentality about tracking down the right person and getting them their stuff. Our premise is materially different from yours, but … ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250/8 "2021-06-14T15:57:12Z")
Ah, that complicates things if there is no XX1 house. If you want to be a bit of a detective, you can look at the online property tax records and see if you can find if those people own a house in your neighborhood. Many counties have the tax rolls searchable and you can search by name. Do a google search for “yourcounty tax records” and you may be able to find them depending on if they own a house nearby or not. Maybe their address is XX10 or something. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250/9 "2021-06-14T16:00:08Z")
So what does Steech mean? Google isn’t helping on this one. ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250/10 "2021-06-14T16:09:24Z")
Sorry- thought it would be clear from context. Steech means steal/take. I was trying to be funny. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250/11 "2021-06-14T16:10:31Z")
We order so much stuff from amazon that unless its especially large or unwieldy I just bring it in a set it on the package table. Depending on how badly my wife wants whats in side it may sit there for weeks if she didn’t order it we don’t normally figure it out for a month or so. At that point we’ll see if we can figure out where it was supposed to go if not it gets opened to see if we want it and if not it goes in the garbage. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250/12 "2021-06-14T16:15:14Z")
Cool, Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250/13 "2021-06-14T16:18:27Z")
> [@OldOlds](#): > > At what point is it OK for me to decide they’re mine? When Amazon tells you to keep it, which they will sometimes do. I’ll second/third/whatever the suggestion that you do a little sleuthing to figure out the intended recipient. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250/14 "2021-06-14T16:23:51Z")
In my neighborhood, the reason is usually that there are multiple lots that have been combined into one parcel - for example, there’s a house with the address of 1313 Mockingbird Lane. The next house is 1319 Mockingbird Lane - because the lots where 1315 and 1317 would be are actually the side yards for the two houses . But back to the OP - since there isn’t any XX1 next to you, is it possible the street name is wrong. Like you’re on Peachtree Lane and the correct address is Peachtree avenue or something. ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250/15 "2021-06-14T16:34:37Z")
If the address on the actual package doesn’t exist then it’s likely the original orderer fat fingered it (transposed some digits or got the street name wrong). You’re sure that’s the case and the street name isn’t different? It’s very common in my neighborhood for our numbered streets to cause issues, especially when there’s a “128th SE Ave” and a “128th SE Pl” for example. The house number exists on one but not the other. Or it exists on both and the orderer got it right but the deliverer put it at the wrong house. I’d give Amazon a reasonable amount of time to follow through on their pickup claim. Im actually surprised they’re picking up, most times this has happened to me Amazon has just told us to keep or donate the package. Maybe it’s something expensive! ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250/16 "2021-06-14T17:05:03Z")
It was something an old friend of mine used to say, I guess because he thought it was funny. Some of us still carry it to this day, but to my knowledge it isn’t a “thing.” If you’re in New England: I believe the origin was “Lechmere” becoming “Steechmere” ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250/17 "2021-06-14T18:37:04Z")
Commence Steeching in T-minus 3 days from first contact ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250/18 "2021-06-14T20:07:49Z")
> [@OldOlds](#): > > If you’re in New England: I believe the origin was “Lechmere” becoming “Steechmere” Lechmere! I did my first “buy to use for 30 days, then return it” there. It was a great way to have an awesome stereo for a month as long as you kept the box & receipt and didn’t mind standing in a 45 minute line to get your money back. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250/19 "2021-06-14T20:30:15Z")
Yes, and not until then. Sure if a package is addressed to _you,_ but you did not order it, you can usually keep it. But these are not. Can you catch the carrier? Let them know? Do you have a neighborhood FB or Nextdoor group? I see posts like that fairly commonly on my local FB group. “Anyone know Bob Smith? I got a package for him addressed to 1234 Main street, but there is no 1234 Main street.” ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250/20 "2021-06-14T21:16:35Z")
My area is full of Avenues, Ways, Courts, Drives, East X and West X, etc. that have the same first name, Much misdelivery ensues. Similarly, deliveries are sometime off on the numbered streets (so 51421 E. 112th Ave. gets packages for 51421 E. 111h Ave.)… I concur with the idea of posting on NextDoor. If it were your package, you’d appreciate someone trying to get it to you. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-steech-an-amazon-package/944250.md?page=2)