Monday we got a call from someone 3 blocks away who had found our package opened on her neighbors lawn. She checked the packing slip and realized that two jewelry items were missing from the box. All the books were left. She called the police and they told her they couldn't do anything to call the postal police. (I don't believe there is any such thing but what do I know.) I called UPS, they said the box was delivered to our front porch. So, it seems like someone stole it off our porch, took what they wanted and ditched the rest.

This happened once before 7 years ago when we first moved in.

I was told by UPS that I have to tell the company shipping the item to request back porch drop off. I will be doing that from now on.

This happened to us once a few years ago and the police responded to our call and I believe that it was the police that found the package opened somewhere else in the neighborhood. Or perhaps whoever found it called the police and then they called us ... I'm fuzzy on the details. At any rate, the police DID get involved and we were lucky that the would-be thieves apparently weren't interested in the contents of our package.

We are also lucky that our front porch has (low) "walls" around it, in addition to being covered, so now we always include an instruction to leave packages "out of sight of the street" on the porch. That has worked for us in the last few years, knock on wood!

Sorry this happened to you Oldstone. I live on a main street - I send the big stuff to my husband's office and the little stuff to mine. People who send us stuff know to use either of those addresses.

There is such a thing as the Postal Police, it's a division of the US Postal Inspection Service. You can file a complaint online (but keep in mind not applicable to UPS and Fed Ex shipments).

https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/investigations/MailFraud/fraudschemes/mailtheft/ReportMailTheft.aspx

Sorry for your loss. I have an account with UPS and they know specifically to drop all packages on the back deck, same with the post office. If you don't tell them then that's what happens. Might be a good idea to leave a note for your mailman and Ups so this doesn't end up happening again and tell your friends and family to pay the extra buck and get a confirmation (signature).

Oldstone said:

I had a Christmas gift sent to me by a friend which was delivered to my house on Tuesday at 9:45AM, according to tracking information. At noon, the dogwalker said she saw a sticky notice on the door but no package, same thing when I got home later. The delivery service is adamant that the package was left on my front steps at 9:45. Hello, it's December, you know, a few weeks from gift-giving holidays. You would think they would walk the package around back to the porch but they didn't. All I can assume is that the box was lifted from my front steps.

I was reading in the police blotter in the News Record just now that a resident not far from me had a package taken from their front steps.

If you are having packages delivered, etc. you might want to put in a request that packages are left on the back porch, etc. Tis the season.

Something seems fishy here. Why would there be a sticky if the package was delivered? Perhaps I missed it but did you say what delivery service this was? One thing to bear in mind is that, during the holiday season, UPS brings on a bunch of temporary staff to cover the greatly expanded workload. I have never had a problem with a regular UPS employee but these temporary folks might be a bit less reliable.

UPS and Fedex have only left a sticky when I missed delivery. It usually states when they will deliver next or for me to sign and they will leave it. I have never had a sticky when a package was left. What did the sticky say?

That is funny. I never get a sticky from Fed Ex when a package is left and get one at least once a month. I get deliveries from UPS a couple of times a week and have never gotten a sticky if they have left a package.

Let the sticky thing go. We had a package stolen from our front steps that was delivered on Wednesday. It was a jewelry item. I'm pissed. Why would the delivery person leave this on the front steps? This time of year, just walk it around the back! So many other packages have been delivered this way. Why stop doing it now? I also wonder if it was really "delivered."

On this note, we ordered 47" tv bundle package from Walmart on Black Friday. It was delivered this week on Monday. It was left on my front steps. I live on the first house on a side street off a main road and my house is clearly visible from the very busy road. The box was an actual LG tv box clearly explaining the size & features of the tv and the included blu ray player. When I got home from work and saw it there, I could not believe it was left like that. Crazy, right?

Iv'e never heard of big ticket or oversized items being delivered before when no one is at home. They usually call the night before to make sure someone will be there. How do they know an old woman didn't order the TV and needed it to be carried in and set up. I would call them and say you never got it because that sounds totally unbelievable.

It was Fedex that delivered. They left a sticky with NOTHING written on it. When I pulled into the driveway, I saw the sticky and thought, ok, who sent me something that I have to be inconvenienced to go pick up? I thought the sticky was going to say that the package was waiting in some Fedex facility. But no, the note said nothing. When I called Fedex and asked why a sticky note would be left ALONG with the package, they said that's what they do. Still annoyed.

Anyway, the retailer that sent the package is replacing it and sending it via UPS. UPS is the best, imo. Fedex sucks. Recently, I had to send a big case with samples to Dallas prior to my arrival. The price for sending was $286. When I got to the hotel in the late afternoon, I expected the case to be there. It wasn't. So I had to waste a couple hours tracing, calling, talking to managers and finally found the case. It was sitting in a facility an hour away. The manager apologized and said that the driver forgot to put it on the truck and that they would deliver it the next day in the afternoon. Hello, I needed the case for an 8AM meeting. I was furious. I had to drive to the facility to pick it up. At least they refunded the $286.

Fedex leaves the blank sticky to that your aware that they delivered something. My driver usually leaves a sticky on my door and then hides the package on my porch (his idea, not mine)

OS - That sucks! We had a UPS package ripped open on our porch, but it was left with the contents still in it..........they were just my husband's financial mathematics textbooks..... no one wants those.

Do you have a neighbor who is usually home during the day? Maybe you could ask if you could have important packages delivered to their address? I know my neighbors will take stuff in for me or sign for things if needed.

The UPS Store in South Orange will accept your packages and hold them for you to pick up. There is a small fee and you have to set it up with the shipper and George at the UPS Store but for those shipping expensive items that are concerned might go missing this could be a very good option.

It is at the UPS driver's discretion if he will leave a package or you have to pick it up at the warehouse. There was a rather vehement thread here about drivers in MW who didn't leave packages and the customer had to pick up at the warehouse after two delivery tries. As Oldstone mentioned, most vendors will make good on stolen packages I assume figuring that it is cheaper than requiring a signature from the customer overall.

I remember having to go to the Fed Ex facility in Union to pickup a cell phone when we were still in MW because Verizon required a signature from the recipient. Pain in the butt, but only a ten minute drive. UPS is somewhere in Newark and, luckily, we have never had to make that trip.

I was absolutely floored when I came home and the tv was on the front steps. I figured they'd call with delivery info. And never throughout in a million years they'd leave a tv like that. I am definitely going to call to complain. I considered saying I never got it but I just can't do that although I should.

I work from home, and regularly get both work and personal packages delivered via FedEx and UPS. Some of the delivery people ring the doorbell when they're leaving something on the front porch but most just drop the package without ringing. I wonder why all delivery people wouldn't at least ring the doorbell? If I don't happen to hear the truck stop, the package might be sitting outside for a while even though I am home!

Muppet, I was just thinking that, because I'm home all the time, too. Our UPS guys do ring the bell, but postal employees... never.

This has happened to me before with Fedex and I have noticed the Fedex driver does just dump the packages on the front step, despite the fact that we have an entryway where he could leave the packages out of sight.

At this time of year, I think there are individuals who actively follow the trucks around and watch where the packages are being left so they can steal them. It's an easy theft.

UPS always puts a discrete note on the front door and leaves the packages on the back deck under an overhang so they don't get wet.

Big problem.

During the year some neighborhoods get this problem and UPS issues a bulletin to the drivers to NOT leave packages unless the door is answered.

This time of year we even get reports of cars following a UPS truck and picking up packages.

UPS has a bulletin for all drivers to not leave packages if they suspect a problem.

Broweyes was correct.

You can always call 800 pickups (800.742.5877) and have your package routed to a The UPS Store. It is called the "My Choice" program. The packages are held for 7 days and you can pick them up during store hours. The fee is $5.00 per package, $3.00 for a letter.

In my store you can also open an account and have your packages delivered to the store directly from the shipping vendor for your pickup.

Add to that that we are open 7 days a week, 7 AM to 7 PM M-F and 9 to 4 SS and you have a pretty good deal.

Later,
The UPS Store
George

Update -- Macys.com will credit our stolen package, which helps ease the sting. I said I didn't want them to try to deliver it again only have it taken AGAIN. It was weird because we've had other packages delivered (and left on the front and back steps) without issue. Even on that very day of the theft, two other packages were left on the front steps and we received them in good condition. I suggested Macy's rethink how they package jewelry purchases. Maybe the small box was a give away to thieves.

We rarely get items delivered FedEx so I'm unfamiliar with the delivery person, but my lovely UPS guy and I have had an ongoing "deliveryship" for years. He's a great guy and super efficient. He always rings the bell when deliveries are made. Even if I'm home and by chance he doesn't ring (a rarity!), my dogs are snarling at the door anyway so I know someone is there.

When we were doing construction to the house a few years back, sinks and faucets were delivered to us. It required no signature and the boxes were huge. I was shocked when I drove into my back yard and saw boxes waiting for me on my back porch. I immediately called the company because I was told that not only a call would be placed to us a day before delivery, but all packages required signature.

The UPS guy is a doll and very good at his job.

I live on Broadview and had a package stolen on Nov 30. Now that I think of it, I saw a Budget rent a truck on my street on Fri. They watched me take in a large package. I thought that perhaps Fed Ex needed extra trucks and they delivered it, it now I think they must have been the thieves and were waiting to see if I was home. I can't believe I didn't put it together. Keep an eye out for this Budget truck. I'll report this to the police as suspicious.

I called the police and the desk sargeant said there had only been two reports of stolen packages- perhaps they can catch these creeps if more are reported, to get a pattern.