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Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

bbc.com

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Re: Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

#91

Post by Tempest1981 »

ChuckMcM wrote: post #6

This is why every Christmas I order Explosive Dye Packs with motion sensitive trigger from Amazon :-) Actually, no I don't. I have considered some DIY solutions however, one being a 115 dB siren[1] and battery that goes off when it is taken. The intent being to draw attention to the people carrying the stolen package. [1] https://www.amazon.com/Alarm-Siren-115-dB-VDC/dp/B0002BG3SU

For $60: https://www.theblankbox.com/shop

Story: Man fed up with package thieves rigs box with shotgun blanks to stop them https://abc7news.com/man-fed-up-with-package-thefts-rigs-box...

Re: Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

#92

Post by michaelt »

briandear wrote: post #68
nikanj wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's the adequate follow-through prosecution that's the problem. Fines? Can't get blood from a stone. Jailtime? The cost-benefit analysis doesn't support that, prison time is expensive and petty theft doesn't really cause that much damage. I have no solution to offer here.

> petty theft doesn't really cause that much damage Sure it does. Insurance rates. Compare rates for San Francisco vs. Houston for comprehensive coverage. Or San Francisco vs. Cupertino for that matter. Every smash and grab costs everyone more money. Prop 47 is a big culprit. These thieves can cause $1000 in damage to a car, but their prosecution is pretty much pointless. If we want to talk cost benefit analysis, pro…

  if the robber gets $100, and it costs $100,000 to
  imprison them, then that’s a bad cost benefit
  return right?
Depends if it deters him and 9 other robbers, who would otherwise have committed 100 such crimes each.

I mean, if a criminal is operating under rational choice theory [1] and they know their crime will go unpunished even if it is detected, why wouldn't they steal packages?

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rational_choice_theory_(crimin...

Re: Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

#93

Post by setquk »

nikanj wrote: post #40
gojomo wrote: 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.

It's the adequate follow-through prosecution that's the problem. Fines? Can't get blood from a stone. Jailtime? The cost-benefit analysis doesn't support that, prison time is expensive and petty theft doesn't really cause that much damage. I have no solution to offer here.

Social credit score system in China takes this role I understand. People seem not to like that idea however.

Re: Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

#94

Post by speedplane »

nikanj wrote: post #40
gojomo wrote: 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.

It's the adequate follow-through prosecution that's the problem. Fines? Can't get blood from a stone. Jailtime? The cost-benefit analysis doesn't support that, prison time is expensive and petty theft doesn't really cause that much damage. I have no solution to offer here.

> Jailtime? The cost-benefit analysis doesn't support that, prison time is expensive and petty theft doesn't really cause that much damage.

You're not considering deterrence. Sure, the cost/benefit of an individual does not support jailing a small-time thief. However, other potential thiefs may be deterred from committing the crime in the first place. This aggregate level of crime reduction often does justify itself in a cost/benefit analysis.

Re: Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

#95

Post by krzat »

dgzl wrote: post #47
cronix wrote: post #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…

I've looked into one-way package recieving devices before, and I think something would be best integrated into the person's home wall or door. A system like USPS mail drop boxes would be ideal.

What if a thief decides to deliver himself into your home?

Re: Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

#96

Post by Pamar »

eropple wrote: post #81
cronix wrote: post #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…

That's a really good idea. The annoying thing in Boston is that you might have two packages from the same order (looking at you, Amazon) arrive at different times on the same day.

Would it be feasible to use a combination padlock and send the number as a part of the address/shipping note?

Re: Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

#97

Post by lagadu »

krzat wrote: post #95
dgzl wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've looked into one-way package recieving devices before, and I think something would be best integrated into the person's home wall or door. A system like USPS mail drop boxes would be ideal.

What if a thief decides to deliver himself into your home?

Just return him if you're unhappy with your purchase.

Re: Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

#98

Post by build_products »

speedplane wrote: post #94
nikanj wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's the adequate follow-through prosecution that's the problem. Fines? Can't get blood from a stone. Jailtime? The cost-benefit analysis doesn't support that, prison time is expensive and petty theft doesn't really cause that much damage. I have no solution to offer here.

> Jailtime? The cost-benefit analysis doesn't support that, prison time is expensive and petty theft doesn't really cause that much damage. You're not considering deterrence. Sure, the cost/benefit of an individual does not support jailing a small-time thief. However, other potential thiefs may be deterred from committing the crime in the first place. This aggregate level of crime reduction often does justify itself…

Is deterrence really a thing? Multiple studies show that more severe punishments don't actually deter because the people committing the xrime almost never think of them.

See https://nij.gov/five-things/Pages/deterrence.aspx

Re: Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

#99

Post by smu3l »

TheSpiceIsLife wrote: post #87
cronix wrote: post #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…

As a metal worker, I’ve been intending to build a parcel receptical like a donation bin, you know the ones with the swinging horizontal door on the front that prevents a person from reaching inside, and a regular door with a padlock on the back. As a metal worker, I’ve been intending to build this for the past ten years. The last thing I feel like doing when I get home is more welding. Sigh.

What kind of work was it you do? :)

Re: Amazon uses dummy parcels to catch thieves

#100

Post by TheSpiceIsLife »

smu3l wrote: post #99
TheSpiceIsLife wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a metal worker, I’ve been intending to build a parcel receptical like a donation bin, you know the ones with the swinging horizontal door on the front that prevents a person from reaching inside, and a regular door with a padlock on the back. As a metal worker, I’ve been intending to build this for the past ten years. The last thing I feel like doing when I get home is more welding. Sigh.

What kind of work was it you do? :)

Mostly structural steel at the moment, but in the past everything from marine to commercial kitchens. Nothing pressure rated though. At the moment I operate a 4kW ytterbium fibre laser set up to cut up to 20mm mild steel, 20mm stainless steel, and 12mm aluminium.
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