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Glitter bomb tricks parcel thieves

bbc.com

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Re: Glitter bomb tricks parcel thieves

#251

Post by jimmaswell »

vhodges wrote: post #134
mcphage wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Generally because people don't want it. Shipping used to be a lot stricter about signatures, etc, but people usually aren't home when the packages get delivered, and package theft isn't a significant enough problem to make the extra security worth the inconvenience.

I am home during the day (yay remote work!) but they (UPS) give a quick knock and set the package down and go to leave. Genuinely shocked when I open the door.

They didn't even knock when they came to collect a return, so I had to take the sticker they left and go find a UPS box.

Re: Glitter bomb tricks parcel thieves

#252

Post by southerndrift »

ionforce wrote: post #90
astrodust wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You couldn't pay me enough to be an "actor" who had their house or car glitterbombed.

And get fart sprayed on.

Which doesn't happen at all incidents. E.g. the last thief who opens the package in his house doesn't complain about a smell at all. So chances are that this is staged.

Re: Glitter bomb tricks parcel thieves

#253

Post by [deleted] »

kaivi wrote: post #101
cosmotron wrote: post #73

What are people's thoughts on if this is staged? Considering the views / subscriptions are the main motivation here, it might justify the expenses poured into this project – that is, it would be quite a waste if all that effort went into the build just to have no one actually take it off the porch. If actors were used, it would explain the lack of police involvement (it's easy to say, "police weren't interested" ). A…

I've had the same thought when I first saw it. Some suspicious things: thieves talking to themselves, that lady throwing the box into her own garbage bin, zero attempt at disassembly or closer inspection of the box, no police involved. Also GPS is just not that good for locating anything of that size in given circumstances, and it would not have worked in the parking garage. Too many things could have gone wrong here…

[deleted]

Re: Glitter bomb tricks parcel thieves

#254

Post by HeyLaughingBoy »

hossbeast wrote: post #102
ataturk wrote: post #43

I would like people to stop doing this childish nonsense. There is a guy who does "Operation Krampus" every year and brags about putting gifts out filled with cat shit. And people think he's so funny and cool. Thing is, he could be spending his time doing something uplifting and productive instead of being a low-life asshole himself. It's not funny, first of all. It's childish. It isn't in keeping with the spirit of…

You did not watch the video. Some of the theives caught on video live in nice homes. And yet they're stealing packages from a stranger's doorstep. Why?

I've known wealthy people who defrauded charitable organizations (unrelated to my comment up-thread!). Why?

Re: Glitter bomb tricks parcel thieves

#255

Post by seattle_spring »

ataturk wrote: post #43

I would like people to stop doing this childish nonsense. There is a guy who does "Operation Krampus" every year and brags about putting gifts out filled with cat shit. And people think he's so funny and cool. Thing is, he could be spending his time doing something uplifting and productive instead of being a low-life asshole himself. It's not funny, first of all. It's childish. It isn't in keeping with the spirit of…

Won't somebody please think of the thieves!!

Re: Glitter bomb tricks parcel thieves

#256

Post by tivert »

If you're concerned about package thieves, just buy an outdoor cabinet and put it next to your door with a note asking that packages be placed in it. I use an Ikea Josef:

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/storage-furniture/outdoo...

You don't even need a lock for it. If you can get the deliverymen to consistently place packages in it, the thieves will have no idea if there's actually a package at your door to steal or not without actually attempting a theft. For extra deterrence, you can install a motion activated camera next to it. The idea is to reduce the thieves' expectation of reward while increasing their expectation of getting caught.

Re: Glitter bomb tricks parcel thieves

#257

Post by scrumbledober »

themoat wrote: post #166
slig wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd be worried as well. Even if the criminals didn't remember where they got the package, now the video is going viral and it looks like the shows his home address on a map. Edit: as someone pointed out it's not his address. I just re-watched the video and it's written on the map that it's not actually his house address.

I cannot believe I know this...but the location on the map is actually the McCallister's house from Home Alone, in Illinois, Mark lives in California. I looked it up a few months ago...and I recognized the google map as soon as it popped up on the video. https://goo.gl/maps/1sytkJCxFqn

That's amazing. He goes through a lot of explaining how he used the address for the label and I thought it was weird that he was showing us where his house was on a map.

Re: Glitter bomb tricks parcel thieves

#258

Post by kevinmchugh »

rdtsc wrote: post #173

This needs careful consideration if you ever decide to do it. Depending on the local criminal culture they could exact revenge. Then also know where you live and can do a lot worse things than taking a package. Police might later be involved but it might not be worth it. You are dealing with people who have no qualms stealing so it's not too crazy to expect other rash and illegal acts from them. I can also see some i…

You are dealing with people who have decided the expected value of a package on a porch is positive, even though they are not the legal owners of that package.

Re: Glitter bomb tricks parcel thieves

#260

Post by owenversteeg »

mirimir wrote: post #105

Yes, he did a great job on design and construction. But I wonder if sought legal advice before implementing. Because, as others have noted, I gather that booby traps are illegal in the US. Maybe this one is benign enough, but I rather doubt it. Also, while it's true that thieves aren't so likely to press claims, what about parents of juvenile thieves?

I believe (someone more knowledgeable feel free to correct me) that booby traps are only illegal when they hurt/damage people.
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