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Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

bbc.com

21–30 of 142 posts

Re: Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

#21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Amazon and others now send you a picture of the package on your doorstep, so I guess they'd let you know?

I often wondered what's the point of that. I received the delivery email, I am still not at home, what would a picture do that the email doesn't?

Never had that experience, but I presume to prove it was delivered?

Re: Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

#22

On the other hand, If you have any used motor oil or hazardous waste to dispose of, you can place it in an Amazon box and leave it on your doorstep.

Pretty much guaranteeing improper disposal. I highly doubt anyone who steals packages off doorsteps is going to bother to dispose of substances like that correctly.

Re: Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

#23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Amazon and others now send you a picture of the package on your doorstep, so I guess they'd let you know?

I often wondered what's the point of that. I received the delivery email, I am still not at home, what would a picture do that the email doesn't?

Sometimes they hide the package for you, and they send you a picture so you can find it.

Re: Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

#24
post #17
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the idea was the homeowner plants the package with the horn, not orders one.

Yeah I think that was the idea. Although.. If the package had a cell network connection it could check that its tracking number has been delivered, then "arm" itself. Or, the package could be programmed to wait for the homeowner's WiFi SSID to appear, then wait for the accelerometer to settle when the package is put down.

Ohh I like that, I bet you could program an ESP32 to do that pretty simply (watch for the SSID to vanish.)

Or, I could turn it into an SDR project. Send a Zigbee 'disarm' signal once every 10 seconds or so, if the package got out of range of my SDR it would go off.

Re: Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

#26
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah I think that was the idea. Although.. If the package had a cell network connection it could check that its tracking number has been delivered, then "arm" itself. Or, the package could be programmed to wait for the homeowner's WiFi SSID to appear, then wait for the accelerometer to settle when the package is put down.

Ohh I like that, I bet you could program an ESP32 to do that pretty simply (watch for the SSID to vanish.) Or, I could turn it into an SDR project. Send a Zigbee 'disarm' signal once every 10 seconds or so, if the package got out of range of my SDR it would go off.

I like the ESP32 idea! Sound Bombs - the new maker project.

Re: Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

#27
I wonder why stings/bait-items aren't used more often, when an area is facing a rash of specific kinds of crime, like bike theft, parked-car smash-and-grabs, and package theft.

It's often a small number of violators – sometimes professional – who've been emboldened by early successes to scale up. So just a few stings, with adequate follow-through prosecution, could have a highly-leveraged effect on the overall rate.

Re: Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

#28
I haven't had any packages stolen for the last few years. We have a large "toy box" on the front porch/deck that has a padlock on it. When expecting deliveries, we just leave the lock unlocked and leave a note to put the delivery in the box and lock it. So far, so good! I can't say the same for my neighbor though. He was hit last week, and is now going to build a box. It was less than $60 to make (3/4" plywood, 2x4's, stain, lacquer, hinges, padlock) and is too heavy for a single person to lift when empty.

Re: Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

#29
post #27

I wonder why stings/bait-items aren't used more often, when an area is facing a rash of specific kinds of crime, like bike theft, parked-car smash-and-grabs, and package theft. It's often a small number of violators – sometimes professional – who've been emboldened by early successes to scale up. So just a few stings, with adequate follow-through prosecution, could have a highly-leveraged effect on the overall rate.

Probably because it is work and the police don't care. In California with Prop 47, it might not even be a crime to steal packages.

Re: Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

#30
Just read about this a few days ago in the local news, they caught one in Aloha/Beaverton, Oregon (about 30 minutes west of Portland, OR)

https://www.kptv.com/news/deputies-delivery-driver-for-amazo...

This is where a lot of Intel employees live as Intel's headquarters are here, just to give a picture of the area.

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