Parcel Thefts up during Holiday Season
15
December
12/15/2009:
Have you had your postal deliveries stolen this holiday season? See some tips and other information below.
Postal Inspectors Investigating Parcel Thefts
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is asking the public to report thefts of parcels sent through the U.S. Mail. The reports may be made online using the mail theft reporting form found on the U.S. Postal Inspection Service website, or by calling the U.S. Postal Inspection Service toll free number 1-877-876-2455, select option 3.
Packages left by letter carriers have become an easy target for crooks that follow the letter carriers and pick up a package that has been left on the porch. Postal Inspector and Newark Division Spokesperson Josh Shandler advises, “Theft or possession of stolen mail is a federal offense, punishable by up to five years in federal prison and fines up to $250,000. Through crime prevention and investigative efforts Postal Inspectors have ensured public trust in the U.S. Mail for over 200 years.”
U.S. Postal Inspectors suggest the following tips to help keep your packages safe:
- Ask the Postal Service to hold your package for pickup at the Post Office.
- Ask a trusted friend or neighbor to retrieve your package after delivery.
- Use the Postal Service online tracking to track package for delivery date.
- Never send cash or coins in the mail. Use checks or money orders and make a note of the serial number in case of loss or theft.
The holiday season is a busy time for everyone, including criminals. As a result, Postal Inspectors are asking residents to report suspicious activity or suspicious persons near U.S. Postal Service vehicles or mailboxes by telephoning the Postal Inspection Service’s 24-hour National Law Enforcement Communication Center at 1-877-876-2455 (877-US-MAIL-5) and selecting option 2. The U.S. Postal Service offers a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any person who commits mail theft.
Residents who observe suspicious persons loitering or following USPS vehicles should not approach the suspicious persons. Instead they are asked to safely obtain a detailed description of person and/or vehicle involved. Postal Inspectors are on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The best crime is one that can be prevented and accordingly, Postal Inspectors will conduct crime prevention presentations to any interested citizen’s group. Examples include community associations, civic/social groups, businesses, schools, religious organizations, or other government agencies. Topics include identity theft, internet safety for children, mail theft and security, consumer fraud (scams involving lotteries, charities, job ads and check cashing) and suspicious packages.
Read more about the Postal Service’s busiest mailing day of the year, after the jump!
Postal Service’s Busiest Mailing Day
More Than 830 Million Pieces of Mail Delivered!
Yesterday marked the Postal Service’s busiest mailing day of the year, with more than 830 million pieces of mail entering the system. This represents an increase of more than 40 percent in the average daily volume of 583 million pieces of mail.
“Bring on the rush – we are ready to deliver,” said Patrick R. Donahoe, Deputy Postmaster General and Chief Operating Officer. “This isn’t just our busiest time of year – it’s our best time of year. Americans can count on the Postal Service to deliver their holiday gifts in time for Christmas as we have for the past 234 years.”
The Postal Service uses 192,000 vehicles to transport holiday mail, including 142,000 half-ton trucks. To help navigate mail movement around the world, staff at the National Operations Center are on “24-7” duty today and throughout the year.
Holiday shoppers have until Dec. 21 for First-Class Mail and Priority Mail items. For those last-minute shoppers, the Postal Service recommends Dec.23 as the last day to mail Express Mail packages.
One way customers can save time during the holiday shipping rush is by using Automated Postal Centers (APCs). Just as an ATM is a virtual bank, the APC is a virtual, stand-alone Post Office. The APC does everything short of face-to-face transactions ― dispensing stamps, weighing packages and calculating postage for Express Mail, Priority Mail, First-Class Mail and Parcel Post items. There are 2,500 APCs in Post Office lobbies across the country.
“APCs make visiting a Post Office easier,” Donahoe said. “It’s one more way we’re trying to save customers time waiting in line and offering another alternative to meet their mailing needs.”
Customers can also skip the trip to the Post Office completely and ship online using the Postal Service’s website, usps.com. Customers can print shipping labels, pay for postage and order free shipping supplies, including the popular Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes, virtually eliminating the need to weigh.
“Flat Rate Boxes are the ultimate gift box,” said Donahoe. “No matter what the gift, if it fits, it ships, for one low rate to any state in the country. We’ll even pick up your packages for free.”
Customers can request free package pickup online at usps.com. The Postal Service will pick up packages during regular mail delivery the next business day – and, unlike with other shipping companies, there is no fee for this service.
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
Visit the Postal Service’s interactive holiday press room at usps.com/news. For holiday mailing reminders and shipping tips, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/holidayshipping.
11 Responses to ** Parcel Thefts up during Holiday Season **
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December 15th 2009 - 12:52:51 |
this is terrible
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December 15th 2009 - 13:41:36 |
Since we shipping over 400 packages a month and deal with the post office from time to time, we hope our input to this topic is helpful.
We suggest that you use endicia to ship your packages. Be it 1 item or many, endicia allows you to ship from your own home. Endicia is cheaper than the post office and there is never a line at your home. The post offices are backed up to the street and waiting is never an issue when you use endicia. endicia is a free service and you download the software from their site and you basically pay as you go. You can also request a free usps carrier pick up from endicia. The post office requires a $14 per day fee if you call the local post office for a pick up. You can also drop off endicia labeled mail at the post office w/o waiting in line. Prepaid mail is allowed to be dropped off without waiting in line. Also, endicia labels are considered metered mail, therefore you can put them in a post office box, even if they are over 13 ounces.
Always buy insurance whether you do it online or in person. If the item is stolen, you will not be covered. We also suggest using a signature confirmation with expensive packages. This means the carrier needs for something to be signed for. When you use no confirmation oe delivery confirmation the carrier is allowed to leave the package. If it is stolen then you are out of luck. If it was insured then you file a claim which in 10 out of 10 cases takes over a year to resolve with the USPS and in most cases USPS will find you at fault.
The endicia insurance is through a 3rd party carrier. You file with them and you are most likely issued a refund within 30 days. If you use fedex or UPS they pay quicker if an item is lost or stolen.
We also recommend using proper packing materials and proper tape when shipping items. Simply taking a glass plate and wrapping it in newspaper and placing in a box is not good enough. The packages go through many hands, sorting machines and trucks, things break easily when shipped through any service so pack it well and use tape that is strong.
We also suggest if something is valuable or potentially breakable you use a shippinf service that is faster. Express mail is general overnight and the less time it is in a carrier’s possession the less chance it will break.
If you want to ship from home you can go to the USPS site and order free shipping supplies. They are delivered to your home by the carrier and they are free and so is the shipping. They provide a variety of boxes and tape.
We also want to clarify what Media Mail is. Media mail is bound mail without advertisements. A novel is Media Mail. An issue of Vogue is not. A stack of office papers is not bound therefore not Media Mail. While the issue is loosely enforced, the USPS does open packages that say Media Mail to inspect it. In most cases the item is delivered to the addressed however the post office will ask for the correct postage from the addressed. In some cases it is returned to you. Too many people in the past have tried shipping BBQ’s as Media Mail to save money and the USPS caught on so now they open many media mail parcels. Other examples of allowed Media Mail are Yearbooks, Music notes, encyclopedias, hard cover books. Non allowable items are old playboys, sports programs, scrapbooks.
We hope our insight was helpful, Happy Holidays to all
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December 15th 2009 - 15:03:57 |
I have had two packages stolen the past 6 months. So so annoying. One thru USPS and the other was UPS. Both cases they said they left the package inside my building outside my door, which leads me to believe that its one of the other tenants in my building who took it. I am never having anything delivered to my home again. Only to work my address.
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December 15th 2009 - 17:20:26 |
this is why you want people to use signatures and have insurance. The part about the postal inspector service investigating stolen packages is so bull. There are very few inspectors in our area and the ones in the area are out doing major crimes, not a missing box of cds.
In response to tberman who said:
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December 15th 2009 - 17:25:05 |
This is a constant problem in my building, especially around this time of the year (not shocking, considering the fact that more packages = more opportunities).
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December 15th 2009 - 17:30:44 |
9
Sadly it is a global issue. Many places that ship things to consumers ie zappos, amazon, walmart etc etc do not use signature services nor do they offer them. What everyone should know is that all the big companies get incredible discounts from the carriers. I know as a fact that amazon gets nearly 75% off UPS rate card. They ship 1 way to make it easier and thats it.
I tell people to use ebay and pay through paypal with a major credit card. If an item does not arrive tell the cc company or paypal. Buy from trusted sellers with good feedback and ask the seller to add the proper insurances and signature requirements at your cost and 99% of them will because they care about the customer and want you to come back and or leave good feedback.
I am not here to represent ebay or paypal but if you take a little extra time and spend another $1.50, you’ll never be out again.
In response to 9 who said:
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December 15th 2009 - 18:12:55 |
Back in 2007, I ordered a few art supplies and had them shipped over to my place.
Well, a few days later my neighbor told me that a package was waiting for me in the vestibule. I went and looked for it… only to find nothing. Asked around the building. No one saw it. I figured that it was stolen and– as P.O.d as I was– cut my losses.
About two days later, the box *magically* appeared in the vestibule, unharmed. Apparently the thief didn’t like what I ordered and put it back.
From then on, my neighbors and I agreed to hang onto packages with our names on them. Even to bring them to our respective doors. We only have 5 units in our building, and it’s really not that hard for us to do. Highly recommended.
Otherwise, you can just order sh*t that no one else wants to ensure that your merchandise arrives in your hands.
Whatever you do, don’t order awesome, pricey merchandise this time of year for shipment. Get off your arse and buy it yourself or have someone else buy it for you on their trip to the mall.
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December 15th 2009 - 18:38:37 |
Part of my business is where I find bags for clients that do not have the time. If i dont have it a colleague in the business will. I have everything sent to me with insurance and signatures added. Never in my life does something get released to me without me or one of the people here signing for it. I have heard that on occasion Fedex Home Delivery will release a package to a home if they feel the location is safe. On all Fedex Home Deliveries, a signature is required. You do not pay for it, Fedex just offers it. Especially around these times a driver will always likely leave it to make room in the truck because the next day he will be overloaded w parcels and have to come back to you.
Ok, enough from me, I have 40 amazon orders to ship out. Should any1 reading this ever have a question about shipping something and wants an answer that you cant get by waiting on hold with the post office for 30 minutes, email me
In response to mooshu who said:
Well, a few days later my neighbor told me that a package was waiting for me in the vestibule. I went and looked for it… only to find nothing. Asked around the building. No one saw it. I figured that it was stolen and– as P.O.d as I was– cut my losses.
About two days later, the box *magically* appeared in the vestibule, unharmed. Apparently the thief didn’t like what I ordered and put it back.
From then on, my neighbors and I agreed to hang onto packages with our names on them. Even to bring them to our respective doors. We only have 5 units in our building, and it’s really not that hard for us to do. Highly recommended.
Otherwise, you can just order sh*t that no one else wants to ensure that your merchandise arrives in your hands.
Whatever you do, don’t order awesome, pricey merchandise this time of year for shipment. Get off your arse and buy it yourself or have someone else buy it for you on their trip to the mall.
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December 15th 2009 - 21:21:45 |
Hoboken 411- I think you should link the article with the Secret Service on Washington St in Hoboken about two years ago (December) and the comments. I believe it was related to theft of packages from buildings. Check it out!
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December 15th 2009 - 21:37:49 |
That’s some good teamwork and much better than neighbors who do not even recognize each other. I forget what city it was, or where I read it, but I remember an article about a retired gentleman who was the unofficial package recipient for his block and was so busy with this, he had a room of his apt set up as the mail room (and all the delivery guys knew to go there).
In response to mooshu who said:
Well, a few days later my neighbor told me that a package was waiting for me in the vestibule. I went and looked for it… only to find nothing. Asked around the building. No one saw it. I figured that it was stolen and– as P.O.d as I was– cut my losses.
About two days later, the box *magically* appeared in the vestibule, unharmed. Apparently the thief didn’t like what I ordered and put it back.
From then on, my neighbors and I agreed to hang onto packages with our names on them. Even to bring them to our respective doors. We only have 5 units in our building, and it’s really not that hard for us to do. Highly recommended.
Otherwise, you can just order sh*t that no one else wants to ensure that your merchandise arrives in your hands.
Whatever you do, don’t order awesome, pricey merchandise this time of year for shipment. Get off your arse and buy it yourself or have someone else buy it for you on their trip to the mall.
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December 16th 2009 - 09:00:22 |
I had a huge problem with UPS this year. The UPS delievery guy would sign my last name and leave my packages in front of the outside security door. I lived in a basement apt with a private entrance way so, he was basically leaving them on the street. After the first thing that I ordered disappeared I had everything delivered to my mother’s. But, I got married this year and people sent presents to my apt. I had 3 things disappear – two of them I didn’t even know were sent to me until after the person called asking if I recieved it. UPS replaced the items but, it was a hassle. It didn’t seem to matter how many times I complained that the driver was signing my name – he kept doing it. I’m sure it would still be going on if I hadn’t moved to a building with a doorman.
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