It isn’t everyday I find myself wanting to climb onto my soapbox and speak out loudly. But today is one of those days where I am going to dust off my soap box, climb up on top and speak my mind. Just what is it that I am thinking of? Porch pirates. Every year, as we approach the holidays, we hear of thefts. People are stealing packages right off the porch. Some are even caught on camera, following a UPS or FedEx truck as they make their deliveries.
I’ve dusted off my soap box!
It makes me so mad because many of these packages aren’t of great value to anyone but the recipient. This could be dog food for someone who struggles with mobility. It could be diapers for a new mother. It could be a box of irreplaceable photographs and other keepsakes mailed by a family member. It could be a pair of glasses for someone who otherwise can’t see without them. These packages have great value to the addressee, not to anyone else. Yet that doesn’t stop porch pirates from picking up packages in the hopes of finding something of value. Ask around. You or someone who know has had a package filched out of the mail box or off of the porch. It is time to make a stand.
That brings me to my next thought. There is an awesome project on Kickstarter and I really wanted to share it with you today. If you have never heard of Kickstarter, you should know this is a crowd-funding platform that allows designers, creators, innovators, and artists get help turning their dream into a reality.
Allow me introduce a really cool project that I discovered just the other week. May I present BoxLock? BoxLock is a lock that secures any bin at all times. The driver can scan a package to be delivered using the BoxLock, which will open the lock. The driver can then place your packages into the bin and then secure the lock before leaving. It is that easy and a great way to stop the rampant thievery. This is something I am super excited about and I have backed this project. The locks are not scheduled to be ready until August 2018.
Do remember before backing any project through crowd-funding that they are not a store. Project creators are working to create something specific and that often takes time. Remember to have patience while supporting a project you believe in. Each project takes time. The assistance you have given the project creator is highly appreciated and just one step toward a common goal.
May you enjoy the coming holidays without the headache or heartache of discovering someone has poached from your porch. I sincerely hope that this is one concern that you, your friends and family never have to face. I know this is an important discussion I will be having with my family and my children. BoxLock is just one way I can make a difference to make our community better.
While this is a great idea for many, may I point out that until people stop having packages delivered when they know that nobody will be home, packages will continue to go missing. You can have things delivered to your workplace, to a neighbors house if they will be home, you can even tell the delivery service when you want your package delivered, ensuring that you are home to receive it. If boxes are sitting out on somebody’s porch, it’s a blatant invitation to thieves.
Susan,
There are many options to stop package thieves. We just happen to believe this is a good option when our places of employment do not allow personal packages, neighbors are not options, and we can’t schedule exact times for deliveries. This is one option. We think it is a good one, yet not perfect for everyone.
My personal favorite for package theft deterrent happens to be a chain gang – when convicted thieves lose their privileges they are more likely to value the privileges they have left. It is wrong that honest people have fewer amenities than thieves have in our incarceration system.
Tina
Happened to me in the last two weeks!! Unless shampoo is their thing, they didn’t get much, but the trouble was immense! I had to file two claims and it will be 30 days before I finally get my merchandise. I checked and the whole neighborhood was hit the same week. I love the lock bin idea!
I am so sorry to hear that your neighborhood was hit. ARGH! That is frustrating.
I am also very distressed to hear that you are waiting 30 days for a claim. You shouldn’t wait. I can walk an order through today. I don’t want you waiting 30 days. We never make people wait 30 days and I would love for you to try our shampoo and make sure you are covered for your holiday needs. No need to add insult to injury in this situation!
30 days is crazy! Let’s make a solution!
Cheers!
Taylor