Question
If you use USPS carrier pick-up, do you leave your packages for them? If so, have you ever had a problem with them disappearing/being tampered with?
I've got a crazy day today and need to ship a couple of auctions. I got them ready last night and for the first time, went through the schedule a pick-up thing. UNTIL I got to where it asked where the packages would be left. Then I chickened out.
We're in an upscale gated community, but we've got some rotten kids around these days. They've vandalized homes and yards, broken into cars, etc. Just yesterday afternoon, as I was coming and going, there were about 5 of them skateboarding in the street. Right in front of my car! And rather than move out of the way, they just smirk, head for you and then swerve at the last minute. (Everyone around has complained to the parents, but it falls on deaf ears--will probably take one of them being arrested or injured/killed before it sinks in.) I just don't think I can trust that my packages would be intact when the carrier arrived to pick them up.
Has anyone else had this situation? Did you find a way around it?
Thanks for any suggestions!!
Answer
You have a choice-either be there or leave them out. If there's a chance they'll become victims to the kids I wouldn't. We haven't had any problems and I've left some out. It just depends on your area and what happens that day.
As far as complaining to the parents-since it hasn't done any good can't you complain to the housing association? That's their job-to police their community with rules and regulations, and I'd think that keeping the peace would be in their best interests. If that doesn't work, call the police. If the parent isn't going to keep their kids as safe as they can(and keep your stuff safe), then someone has to.
Originally Posted by maison rustique
If you use USPS carrier pick-up, do you leave your packages for them? If so, have you ever had a problem with them disappearing/being tampered with?
I've got a crazy day today and need to ship a couple of auctions. I got them ready last night and for the first time, went through the schedule a pick-up thing. UNTIL I got to where it asked where the packages would be left. Then I chickened out.
We're in an upscale gated community, but we've got some rotten kids around these days. They've vandalized homes and yards, broken into cars, etc. Just yesterday afternoon, as I was coming and going, there were about 5 of them skateboarding in the street. Right in front of my car! And rather than move out of the way, they just smirk, head for you and then swerve at the last minute. (Everyone around has complained to the parents, but it falls on deaf ears--will probably take one of them being arrested or injured/killed before it sinks in.) I just don't think I can trust that my packages would be intact when the carrier arrived to pick them up.
Has anyone else had this situation? Did you find a way around it?
Thanks for any suggestions!!
Answer
Originally Posted by mommygonecrazy
As far as complaining to the parents-since it hasn't done any good can't you complain to the housing association? That's their job-to police their community with rules and regulations, and I'd think that keeping the peace would be in their best interests. If that doesn't work, call the police. If the parent isn't going to keep their kids as safe as they can(and keep your stuff safe), then someone has to.
We're a small community--88 homes. DH was on the board of the association for the past 2 years. The parents have been notified repeatedly. There's no rule in place that allows them to be fined for this. I mentioned the police to DH last night, but he seems to think that they won't come out for something like that. BUT, I know the city officer in charge of Neighborhood Watch (I helped set it up here.). I may give him a call and see if he or his co-hort might just stop by and put a little fear in the little brats. And the parents!!
Answer
(I helped set it up here.). I may give him a call and see if he or his co-hort might just stop by and put a little fear in the little brats. And the parents
Have him come down. Call your local Postal Investigator as well and ask for anti tampering stickers to place on your mailbox. My 5 years of Neighborhood leadership got me a slew of them when we noticed C Cards being stolen out of the mailboxes. Cops were great and so were the Federal Investigators. There are State Police in your area and Sheriffs as well that you pay taxes to FWIW. And they all have different forms of authority. A good swift lift of the leg educates most kids that are bad as well...
Answer
Do you have a staffed community center or neighbor you can leave them with?
You mentioned gated, is there someone at the gate that you can leave them with?
Can you put some type of decorative fixed lock box on your porch and give the carrier a key?
So far I've had no problem with carrier pickup although I am usually home.
Well I have had a problem with them not being picked up. That happens when it's not my regular carrier.
Answer
No security guards on duty. Part of the problem with the sheriff's dept. is that since we are a gated community, our streets are private streets and technically, they have no jurisdiction for parking violations and things of that nature. Only true crimes--theft, vandalism, etc.
Our mail carrier is not in the besst of health apparently--he's gone a great deal of the time and we have substitutes. We're also some sort of trainee route for carriers. So, a locked box wouldn't work--plus most of my packages won't fit into a box anyway--too big. Most of the neighbors work and aren't home.
Oh well, I need to stop talking about it and dash off to the post office with the darned packages!
Thanks for all the ideas!!
Answer
Just as I went out to go to the PO, the carrier was at the boxes across the street and was happy to take my packages. Must be my lucky day!
Answer
We haven't had any trouble, but we live in a tiny subdivision (30 or 35 houses) on a dead-end street. The road into the subdivision is kind of hidden, which virtually eliminates any "stray" traffic. We've even missed the road ourselves on several occasions! When people move here, they tend to stay, so all the kids that were around when we first moved in, have grown up now. I could probaby tape a $100 bill to the front door and it most likely wouldn't be touched. We're really lucky.
Well I have had a problem with them not being picked up. That happens when it's not my regular carrier.
Yep, that's happened to me several times too. Our previous mail carrier was fantastic, but he swapped routes with another guy. The new guy is okay, but at first he'd forget to pick up my packages off the porch half the time. He's doing better lately, though.
DH used to take my packages to the post office (sometimes there would be 30 or 40 of them!), so we were really glad when they started the carrier pick-up thing.
Answer
Try going through the options the USPS gives you of where to leave the packages. I leave mine at the front door but we live in a fairly rural area and I don't have a problem with that. Perhaps there is an alternative in the pull-down menu, like a side or back door, that is not visible from the street where the future thugs could see them?
Answer
Put a Nanny Camera in the window and leave the packages. Federal Crime!